The Unanswered Riddle
by Batty28
Summary: Mist Terry is an investigative reporter, one who catches onto a story at Arkham Asylum. Unfortunately someone from her past has caught onto her. OCxRiddler.
1. Chapter 1 Something wrong at Arkham

Something wrong at Arkham.

* * *

Gotham City. Some called it hell, others called it home. Whatever you called it you could never deny the very key and open fact that it was the worst city in the world by far. It's sister city was a paradise compared to this.

Why was it the worst city? Well many blamed the Police and the corruption, others blamed the gangsters and the mob, some blamed their saviour Batman, but in all honesty there was only one place that truly made it hell on earth and that was the one building that overlooked the Gotham shore line from it's own little island.

Arkham Asylum.

The place was full of mystery, secrets hidden in secrets rested in the heart of insanity, the building itself was less then cheary as it stood there like an ominous shadow, constantly reminding Gotham of it's real problem; the super criminals.

But, there were a few people out there who didn't blame them, who openly tried to help them, people said they were crazy and they deserved to work at Arkham, that they deserved to be locked up with the criminals they were trying to cure of their insanity because in truth you couldn't cure someone of anything if they didn't want to be cured.

All of this was irrelevant though when a body washes up off the shore of Arkham, jumpsuit tattered and torn, the coroner establishing that the time of death was sometime in the night.

From behind the tape, the press were already there, trying to get a look at the victim, asking questions of the police all of course refused to answer unless bribed but that was how Gotham worked.

One member of the press crowd stood out from the rest, short bobbed raven black hair blowing in the wind as they observed the scene with scrutiny.

"This is the fith death this month," she muttered, more to herself then to any of her fellow companions. One answered her anyway.

"Hey maybe the nutsos have decided this is suicide month. Doing us a favour for once."

The woman slowly closed her eyes and took a calming breath before she turned to the other member of the crowd that was standing right next to her.

Jack Ryder, the press's most famous investigative reporter stood taking notes on the note pad as he looked up over at the crime scene, hardly seeming to notice or even care about the harsh gaze he was being given from the woman next to him. Sure he was the press's most famous reporter but he was also the most annoying one too, having the ability to not only tick off the press and his co-workers but the general public as well.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean, Ryder?" she growled out as she glared at him.

He took a glance up at her and raised an eyebrow from behind his glasses. "It means Terry, that the more of these guys off themselves, the less they'll be to cause problems for Gotham. I'm not complaining about that. Besides," he went back to writing on the note book. "Who cares about a few psychos offing themselves?"

"I care," she bit out before she turned back to the crime scene. "There's something just not right about this, I can feel it."

Jack looked back at the Cleopatra-esque woman next to him and he shook his head. "You have too much empathy for those psychopaths. Ya know the Joker put a gun to my head once?"

"Pity he didn't pull the trigger he would of been doing the world a favour," she muttered before she walked up to a police officer and tapped him on the shoulder, Jack followed her even after the comment.

"Excuse me Officer, Mist Terry, Gotham Gazzet. Do you believe there was any fowl play involved in this death?"

The police officer rolled his eyes. "Not with this one, clear as day. Jumped off dead man's point poor sod."

"Are you sure? This is the fith death this month. Could there not be a serial killer among the staff or one of the patients themselves who is in fact throwing these people off the famed suicide point in Arkham?"

"Look lady, I'm just here to guard the crime scene. So if you would kindly back away from said crime scene that would be great."

"Do you or do you not believe there is any suspicious activity going on here?"

"No, there is nothing suspicious about this death. He just committed harry carry. End of story, now please back off or I will be forced to remove you from the area."

Mist narrowed her eyes before she turned on her heel and stormed away from the scene, Jack shook his head as he followed her towards his car.

"You honestly believe there's something going on at Arkham?"

"You're the conspiracy theorist, surely even you have noticed something odd about the sudden rise in suicides here, there were three other deaths last month in one week alone."

"Mist, even if there is something strange or suspicious going on here, who cares? These people have had their chance they decided to kill people, if someone is killing them, quite frankly they're doing the world and Gotham a favour. Just wish they'd move to some of the bigger rogues, ya know what I mean? Take care of Scarecrow, Joker or hey Killer Croc," he opened the driver's door and got in the car, starting up the engine as he waited for Mist to get in.

She rolled her eyes in response. "That still doesn't make it right," she insisted as she slipped in next to him. "You can't kill people who kill. If a man kills a killer, there is still the same number of killers in the world, it doesn't change and who's to say this man is going to just stick with Arkham inmates? He may move on to people in Gotham."

"I doubt it," Jack commented as he started the car and pulled away from the scene. "I honestly don't know why John wanted us to come out here, no one cares about a nut job killing himself. It just doesn't make good press."

He glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see Mist was looking out the window a thinking look to her face.

"Oh come on, Mist," Jack shook his head. "You honestly think there's some conspiracy going on at Arkham?"

"There's obviously something going on there, Jack and it's not good," she turned back to him and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Even you have to admit that the amount of suicides recently has increased and it's very strange, right?"

"I don't know Terry," he waved his hand out in confusion. "For all we know they might all suddenly be growing a conscious."

"Really? That's your idea?"

"I don't know."

"There's something going on there," Mist turned back to the window and looked out at the docks, the ships passing through the harbour. Many of them would be carrying illegal products as well as legal ones. Guns, drugs, explosives, slaves. It was all the same.

"Just think," she spoke aloud still facing the window as she talked. "If there is something illegal going on in Arkham… it would make one hell of a story."

Jack glanced in her direction as she still continued to stare out at the docks. He frowned before bitting his lip and then sighing. "Suppose, I'm interested… what's in it for me?"

"Well, if there's nothing going on, you get to gloat at me about it, which lets be honest is one of your favourite things to do, but on the flip side if there is something going on, it will be the biggest scandal to hit Gotham since that Christmas Day thing with the Mayor that was given to the press by an anonymous intel."

"Oh my god… Mist!" he glared at her slightly. "You know I can't resist a possible scandal. That's just not fair."

"Fine you don't have to investigate it, you can just report it and get all the glory for it."

"Alright, deal. But how do you plan on getting into that place in the first place?"

A slow but deliberate smile spread across her lips as she turned back to the road and Ryder could only stare on in horror.

"Oh no… I know that look Terry. You get dangerous and do dangerous things when you give that look."

"Danger is part of the job, Jack."

"You think I'm not aware of that?" he pointed at his temple, his hand in the shape of a gun. "Gun to the head with a psycho holding the trigger, remember?"

"Yes, I believe you mentioned it before," Mist muttered as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and began to text.

"You're a real piece of work, ya know that Terry?"

"You may have also mentioned that once or twice too. Just with different adjectives."

"Ooohh… you're in one of those moods," he sighed and shook his head before slowly the car to a stop at the traffic lights. "I don't get you sometimes, Terry. You're like a damn riddle that never seems to end."

She froze in place. "What did you just say?" she whispered, still looking at her phone, her hand starting to shake.

"I said you're like a riddle sometimes," Jack commented again. "When I think I know you, I then don't," he turned to her and frowned. "Can't you make up your mind on who you're going to be and be done with it? The way your mind works, its like your sometimes two completely different people."

She glared at him harshly. "I am one whole person, Jack. One who is perfectly capable of taking you down right here, right now."

"Whoa, calm down!" he held his hands up in defence before he turned back to the car. "Jesus. You would of thought I'd really insulted you or something."

"You did really insult me, you suggested that I may have a mental disorder known as split personality."

"It was just a figure of speech, you're a writer you should know that."

She was silent for a moment before she blinked and smiled. "Yeah maybe you're right. Say do you think we could stop off and get some lunch I am hungry and unhealthy food is calling me to it's general location."

Jack blinked before he shook his head and started away from the traffic lights. "Like I said, two different people," he muttered not catching the death glare he was being given but she calmed herself and went back to her text.

* * *

"Another gone like that," mused a man from behind prison bars, his fingers in a steeple as he lay across his bed staring at the ceiling. "One feels unsafe in this ungodly place."

"You say that as if scaring you is a hard feat to accomplish. I can tell you from past experience it's not."

Glancing over the top of his steepled fingers, the man glanced at his cell mate who was reading and looked hardly interested in the rest of the world around him, not like that was any different.

Arkham's cells had recently had to have a dramatic change, with many of it's inmates now forced to share a cell, simply because of the increase in super criminals over the recent years.

So thus, inmates were placed in cells together to deal with each other and their antics, no matter how much they didn't want it.

"Funny," the man bit out as he sat up and glared. "But even you must be a little nervous about our current situation."

"Hardly and I feel insulted that you would suggest such a thing Edward."

Edward Nigma, more commonly known as the Riddler outside and indeed inside Arkham's walls only seemed to get more angry with each passing second at his cell mate, who happened to be the infamous Doctor, yes that bit was always important in his title, Jonathan Crane or Scarecrow to everyone else with half a brain that scared easily.

"And why should we not be worried? It is quite obvious that something is going on here that endangers our lives and the lives of our fellow rogues, not that I can say I'm that worried about them."

"You shouldn't. And you shouldn't worry about yourself either," Jonathan commented as he slowly folded the corner on the page he was reading and closed the book, sliding it under his bed as he looked back at Edward. "Whoever is doing this is only targeting the lesser known rogues. Simple criminals with sadistic tendencies and classic psychological disturbance of a want to be serial killer."

"He his targeting the lesser known because he knows an investigation will be created but, no one will care because the victim is a nobody."

"Quite like how clearers hunt. They target the people who are already forgotten; prostitutes, the homeless, drug dealers, pimps, street brats and so on. Easy targets who no one cares about. The same thing is going on here," he pulled off his glasses and began to clean them with the corner of his jumpsuit. "As worrying as it is that someone is targeting us behind these walls, people like you and me with a reputation to our names are safe because we'd attracted far too much attention if we were suddenly disposed of."

"I still don't like it. Also, why hasn't… _he_ come here yet?"

Jonathan glanced up at him from his task of cleaning his glasses and observed his companion with a scrutinising gaze before he glanced to the side and seemed to contemplate it. "You raise a good point."

Edward nodded his head and suddenly stood, beginning to pace the room, hands clasped firmly behind his back as he began to walk back and forth. "You and I know him well enough to know he values all human life. He has saved our own lives countless times despite knowing what we will do after he does so and yet he has yet to make an appearance here."

Jonathan rubbed at his eyes before he replaced his glasses to his face and looked back at Edward who had stopped in his pacing and was now staring out of his cell, the bars casting shadows across the wall and their jumpsuits, creating a tiger like pattern on them as the early morning sun came through the bars and the windows, staining the ward they were on a deep orange, which was slowly turning into a deep gold as the sun rose higher.

He glanced down at his companions fingers and noticed the small flecks of green paint that decorated the finger tips in inconsistent places, a clear indicator of someone trying to hide the fact they had used paint at all.

"You've been writing your riddles on the walls again haven't you? The Doctors and Guards won't like that and the Warden will especially not like that."

Edward glanced behind him and frowned before he brought his attention back to the hall. "As much as you taking an interest in my work and well being-."

"It was not an interest it was an observation. There is a difference."

"-We have more pressing matters to concern ourselves with," he glanced behind him again at Jonathan staring at the amber set of eyes that were staring back at him. They used to be a cold and icy blue but after years of using his toxin on himself and others, it seemed that certain aspects of Jonathan's appearance began to change, the most notable was his eyes. Edward looked the older man up and down before he met his face again which held a bored expression on the almost non emotional face. "Could you possibly speed up your manipulation of the Doctor a little quicker?"

"Psychological mind control takes a long time to do and do well Edward," Jonathan commented as he folded his legs up and sat crosslegged on his bed. "I thought a profectionist such as yourself would know such a thing."

"Fair enough," he looked back at the corridor. "I shall see if there is any gossip to be shared, you know Harley. As unintelligent as the woman is, she does know a lot in Arkham."

"Harleen is actually a remarkably intelligent woman," Jonathan commented as he observed Edward with a scrutinising gaze once again. "She has everyone in Arkham believing she is stupid. True, the child maybe incompetent when it comes to terms with the Joker, but even you have to admit that when she's not with him she is actually a smart woman. She has to be smart if she has survived living with the Joker for as long as she has and not been killed where many who would be considered smarter have not been so lucky."

"Regardless of her intelligence existing or not, Jonathan," Edward turned and smirked. "She knows things and she will tell me."

"And you're sure of this because?"

"I have leverage."

"Please do not tell me Joker is your leverage. That would be awful."

"Of course not! I hate that damn clown and I certainly hate what he does and how he treats Harley. Idiot or no, she is one of the nicest people I have ever met and she is very nice to me so I despise what that clown does to her."

"Then what exactly is it?"

"I managed to swipe some poptarts from the Guard's fridge. Harley will do anything for poptarts."

Jonathan laughed slightly. "Indeed. I am surprised Harley would go so cheap, you might wish to add some oreos to the mix, Edward. She does like those and you may find she will give you extra information for it."

Edward smiled before he stepped away from the bars and a small frown instantly took his features. "What about Isley."

"Pamela?" Scarecrow looked baffled. "Why on earth would you want to talk to her?! That vile creature has no interest in saving humans."

"She may know something, you know about how she has her Doctor wrapped around her littler finger right?" Edward waved his own little finger to make a point.

"Everyone in Arkham that isn't a member of staff knows, Edward. I do not see what you're getting at?"

"Well if he knows something about the deaths then he will tell her."

"I believe his thoughts may be too jumbled up to be able to pay attention to what ever else may be going on at this current moment in time."

"Yeah.. Ivy's spores do that I suppose."

"You would know Edward."

Edward looked indignant. "Just because she has taken control of my mind a few times does not make me-."

"Quiet. Guards are coming."

Edward blinked before he leaned against the cell wall and Jonathan walked back to his bed, sitting on it and pulling the book out from underneath it.

"You hear about this morning?"

"Oh yeah man, another one! Wonder what's gotten into these nutsos huh?"

The two guards walked down the corridor. Officer Thomas was the bigger of the two, he was also the older, more experienced. The smaller and younger one was a new Officer, only just signed up that month but even he realised that what was going on was odd. Especially for Arkham's inhabitance who's general population mostly contained God complexes and narcissism, the sudden rise in suicides for an Asylum full of people like that was odd and suspicious.

"You think there's someone out there trying to kill them all?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"You think Strange has something to do with it?"

Edward's head shot up and he quickly turned to look at Jonathan who also caused a glance to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Look, you're new and I get that," Officer Thomas spoke as he turned to the new recruit. "But if you go speaking bad about the higher ups… it doesn't end well for people like me and you. Folk get into trouble if they say things that aren't supposed to be said, especially in Arkham."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the newby hissed at his partner.

Thomas got up close to his face. "Why'd you think there was a job offering in the first place?" he snarled. "People think that the corruption and double dealings and back stabbing has gone ever since Batman came along, well it's a nice little lie the Police like to keep going around so it doesn't turn into chaos out there."

"What about the patients? Won't they tell someone?"

"And who do you know in Gotham that would listen to a bunch of crazies over an elected official."

"You don't get out enough do you man, because most of Gotham thinks like that."

Thomas sighed and turned away from the new kid. "Just keep your head down, mouth shut and do your job. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."

"And if another inmate gets killed?"

"Then another inmate gets killed! Now shut up. We got another corridor to do."

The two wandered off and Edward followed them with his eyes as he walked up to the bars, Jonathan following behind him as they stared after the two guards, the conversation ringing in their ears.

"I told you," Edward hissed as he continued to stare out after them. "There's something going on in Arkham and what a surprise it involves Hugo Strange."

"As much as it pains me to say this, I believe for our own sake we should do what Officer Thomas suggest, keep quiet and keep our heads down."

"No," Edward smirked. "We need the others for this, besides what would you like to bet it's all going to go to hell as soon as Joker gets back here."

"Speaking of, I have to inform you I will be breaking out tonight, the cell is yours to keep. You will be in a session at the time. Do make sure you look after my book for me and please don't move the place like you did last time, that was inconvenient."

Edward grinned. "I'll try. I'm staying here anyway, this little mystery is too much to pass up on."

Jonathan shook his head. "One day Edward, one day one of your 'little mysteries' as you put it, is going to get you hurt."

The grin fell off his face and a cold look fell across Edward's features as his cellmate sat down on his bed again. "Oh my dear friend," Edward whispered as he closed his eyes before opening them again, the blue harsh and cold. "One already did."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Okay... So I was going through my stories and my Sphinx one I was just not happy with at all, it was not what I wanted and I knew I could do better so I have since re-writen it. This is it here and now, re-written and re-done, well at least the first chapters. Updates... I don't know, they hopefully won't be slow, but they may be since on Arkham Life I have a lot of requests to catch up with.**

 **Speaking of Arkham Life, it is still running, I haven't been active with it because I recently had college exams so I was revising and I had bridging to do so I have been very busy these past few months and I appologise for how long its take to update that particular set of stories, but the next chapter should be up very soon, that I can assure you.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this story, let me know what you think of it and I am open to suggestions or any advice that would help me with my writing but no flame thank you people. Flame just doesn't help anyone and all it does is waste your time and waste my time too, so don't bother with it thanks.**

 **Enjoy this story, love all you guys! :D**


	2. Chapter 2 Don't need to be crazy to work

You don't have to be crazy to work here.

* * *

Another day, another challenge. They would get worse as it went, but Mist wasn't fazed at all, not even as she scrolled through what the internet had to offer as information about the Asylum and it's history.

If she thought the history of Gotham was dark, it was nothing compared with Arkham's history. That place was full of dark secrets, stories. Some she would imagine the staff and Warden would prefer you not know, but never the less she found them and the most haunting of them all was the story of Amadeus Arkham.

It appeared he went crazy in the end and spent the rest of his days locked up in his very own asylum. His cell was rumoured to still be somewhere deep in the Asylum's walls, hidden as one of the many secrets that belonged to Arkham.

She had been so engrossed in her work that she didn't see Jack approach her and she jumped when he tapped her on the shoulder, her hand instantly going for her letter opener on her desk.

"Whoa, Terry, chill!" Ryder held his hands up in defence. "Cool it will you. What's got you so jumpy?"

"I'm sorry, Jack," she rubbed her head, her eyes closed as she sighed before she looked back up at him, still holding the pen she had been writing various, what she believed, important notes down in her book. "I guess I'm just a little jumpy after reading about Arkham."

"Oh yeah? Dark?"

"You have no idea," Mist rubbed her head before she looked up at him and tapped her notes with her pen. "Amadeus Arkham went crazy after his patient killed his wife and daughter at their home, which was Arkham Mansion itself. He then tried to 'cure' his patient, a… Martin Hopkins or 'Mad Dog' as he was referred to countless times in his notes, but in one treatment session Hopkins died under suspicious circumstances. They found his body but… there was something off with it. Finally it was discovered that Amadeus had killed him and the poor sod was locked up in a cell deep in the Asylum walls… it's rumoured to still be there in Arkham now, somewhere."

Jack blinked before he sat himself on the side of his desk and he shook his head. "You think that's where it all started? This insanity?"

"I think this insanity happened when the Waynes were killed."

"Yeah, probably I guess," Jack shrugged before he looked back at her and grinned. "But no time like the present right and boy do I have a present for you."

"Oh?"

"I have a… contact at Arkham. He told me that the death of the patient yesterday… it's suspicious, the guards are suspicious as well as the Doctors but nobody will say anything."

"And why's that?" Mist asked as she rested her head in the palm of her hand.

"Well, this is where it gets interesting," Jack grinned as he picked up a file and handed it to her. "You remember that Arkham guard that got died last month?"

"Yeah I remember," Mist took the file off the news reporter. "Cops ruled it as suicide. He drowned didn't he?"

"Yes, the death was ruled as suicide and yes he did drown but… and here's the good part," he pulled out the other file he was holding, "I got in contact with one of my guys down at the GCPD and… what would you know a little bit they kept hidden from the press. The guy was found on Arkham's shore line, in the same place where they often find suicidal patient's bodies, patients who have all jumped… off Dead man's point."

"The same place our jumper was believed to have jumped off yesterday," Mist shook her head and smacked the file down before she looked back at him. "The police didn't rule it as suspicious?"

"A note was found, seemed legit.." Ryder shrugged. "But, my contact in Arkham told me that apparently some of the other guards don't think it was as legit as it seemed. He told me that they think he was going to speak about some of the rumoured illegal dealings and experiments that some of the staff were preforming on the patients. Apparently he was talking about going to the police and the press about it, to confirm the suspicions that the police have had and bring it all to light. Someone in the higher ups found out and then a week before he was rumoured to be going to the police…"

"He's found dead after supposedly committing suicide," Mist shook her head in disbelief before she looked back at him. "Someone at Arkham's covering up their mess."

"And that's why no one at Arkham will say anything to anyone. They think the same thing will happen to them or worse their loved ones."

"You think the Arkham staff know who it is?"

"Well… my contact said that nobody seemed that bothered about reporting a supposed murderer and that Arkham wanted to do their own internal investigation that they would give to the police."

"Let me guess, no such investigation is happening is it?"

"No, none what so ever. But in answer to your question, he said many people seemed to be scared of one of the Professors there… ah he had a weird name…" Jack snapped his fingers as he tried to recall it. "Real old fashioned too… umm… Hugo.. Hugo something.."

"Hugo Strange?"

"Yes!" Jack grinned before he frowned. "How'd you know."

Mist turned her computer to face him. "Professor Hugo Strange, head Doctor at Arkham Asylum. Brilliant in his field, the best. According to this he also runs a clinic for the public in downtown Gotham, near the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, the clinic is called.. 'Strange Minds', it's had a high review of successfully treating patients from war veterans to nursery workers," she pulled up a picture of him and grimaced. "Well I can see why they'd think it was him… he just gives off a creepy vibe even by looking at him."

"Yeah…" Jack frowned before he shuddered, but soon a smile was back on his face. "But, you'll love this next bit."

"If it's even better then the rest you just gave me then yeah I'm sure I'll love it."

"My contact told me that, Strange and the Warden are very close and that it's a hush, hush secret around the Asylum that the Warden has some kind of mental disorder."

"You're kidding?"

"And that Strange is rumoured to be treating him of his condition, but… this is the best bit and you'll love it.. the Warden has been seen to be extremely violent towards the lower level patients, my contact said he even saw him hit one with his cain."

"Sounds like a man who would quite happily throw a patient to their death to me," Mist smirked. "So suppose the Warden was our killer.. why's he doing it?"

"I think the mental disorder is a good enough reason don't you?" Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I hate to admit it Terry but, you were right. There's something very wrong going on at Arkham."

"I hate to say it but… I told you so," Mist smirked before she looked back at the computer and went to the page about the Warden. "So, the Warden is our killer. He's killing the lower level patients because he knows no one will miss them and given his stature…" she frowned at the picture before her. "He can probably only handle the lower risk level. So he takes them in the night, then he what? Throws them off the side of Arkham Island?"

"Yeah but this is something that doesn't add up," Jack looked down at Terry and went into a whispering tone so no one else would hear him. "The patients go missing for about a week, no one reports it, not to the police or anything. Then the next time anyone sees them, they pop up on the shore line and another patient goes missing, one's gone missing now."

"Why hasn't anyone reported this? That's a serious security risk, what if somebody breaks out and they don't report it?"

"The police have a secret alarm system built in so that if anyone breaks out they are alerted, but it's only if the cell is open from the inside."

"These patients are being let out of their cells from the outside," Mist concluded as a cold feeling washed over her as she realised just how serious this was.

"And then they disappear for a week and found dead," Jack finished for her as he took his glasses off and began to clean it. "My contact told me that a patient's gone missing already and nobodies doing anything about it. There's one thing I don't get… why take them for a week?"

Mist was silent for a moment before she snapped her fingers. "The guard. He was killed because whoever is doing this thought they were going to talk about the rumoured experiments that were being done in Arkham. What if… they're taking these patients because no one would miss them or care, conduct the experiments on them and then… just throw them away once they're done with them?"

"Experiments would… point to a Doctor."

"Or a Professor."

"You think it's Strange?"

"I don't know," Mist admitted as she stood up and began to pack her things up. "But I know where I can find the answers."

"Well, luckily for you, I just so happened to have arranged an interview with the Warden for you today," Jack smiled. "You can thank me later over dinner."

Mist rolled her eyes. "I'll buy you a coffee and thats all," she picked up the files and smirked at him before she turned on her heel and began to leave the office.

"At 3:30, Mist! Your interview is at 3:30 and I expect that coffee!"

Mist rolled her eyes laughing as she left the building and headed to the lift, Jack got up and chased after her.

"3:30!" he shouted.

"Okay!" Mist laughed as she got in and pressed the button for down on the lift.

"And don't you dare forget my coffee."

"I shall endevour not to," She smirked as the doors closed.

Once the doors closed, she sighed heavily, pulling out a notebook diary, flipping it open and writing down what she was about to do and where she going, before she casted glances through her other notes. Seemed everything was there that she remembered, she hand't blacked out at all.

In truth she didn't know why she was worrying, she hand't blacked out in eight years. She had no idea what had happened, but the black outs stopped on Christmas Eve and then they never happened again.

She supposed she was worrying for no reason at all and she should probably relax, but better to be safe then sorry, right?

Swallowing she shook her head and continued with her walk to the car once she stepped out of the lift. It didn't take long and there she was, standing outside her car.

She froze a moment before swallowing again and shaking her head. Her hands were shaking, probably just because of nerves it was hard to tell but, she liked to think it was because of nerves.

The car ride to Arkham was a silent one, she didn't listen to the radio, too busy trying to get her head in the game. She'd have to be careful, lord knows that if she said too much… well she didn't want to think about that at all.

As she drove through the small wooded area of the road to Arkham she saw it's building in the distance but it was the gates she saw first.

Huge iron gates with the ominous words 'Arkham Asylum' stretching across the top of them, what she guessed would of been guardian angels calved out of stone on either side of the gates holding lanterns that simply added to the mystery and the feeling of dread as she pulled up and parked in the car park.

Slowly she got out, taking her bag and coat with her before she locked the car and began to walk up to the main doors of the Asylum, above her, huge guard towers lay and she could see the guards walking around the path ways they had before she continued with her treck towards inside.

As she entered through the doors, she found a long corridor greating her before she found the reception desk.

The woman that sat there was a blond one, her hair was done up in a fancy do and she wore the most brightly coloured clothing ever as she typed away at her key board, a very bored expression on her face as she went.

"Excuse me," Mist spoke and the woman looked up at her with an expression that said she really didn't want to be disturbed. "I'm Mist Terry, from the Gotham Gazzet. Here for my interview with the Warden."

"Right, yeah I remember," she blurted out as she picked up the phone on her desk and typed in a few numbers. "Hello, Guards room? Mist Terry from the Gotham Gazzet is here, I wondered if someone could come and take her to the Warden's office. Right, you sure Jimmy, you are the new guy. Okay yeah, fine come up here to reception, it's where she is," with that she hung up and turned to Mist. "Officer Andrews will be here to take you to the Warden's office. He shouldn't be long."

Mist smiled. "Okay, thank you very much."

"You're welcome," the receptionist said non pulsed as she went back to typing away at her screen.

Mist bit her lip and slowly walked away from the desk to stand in the middle of the room, her eyes gazed around it and took everything in. One thing caught her eye.

"Quincy Sharp the voice of Arkham?" she mused, the receptionist looked up at her. "A bit of an odd thing to have posted here isn't it?"

The receptionist gave an exasperated sigh. "You're telling me. They're all over the place, it's pretty creepy if you ask me."

"In which case," Mist smiled and walked up to her desk and leaned on it smiling, before she glanced at her name tag. "Mindy, what would you say of Quincy Sharp? Odd guy right?"

"You have no idea. I mean, I know what these people have done is bad and all but… he takes punishment to the next level," Mindy explained in a hushed tone.

"Oh?" Mist frowned as she leaned on the desk and whispered. "Why what kind of things has he done?"

"It's really not my place to say."

"Mindy is… is Sharp hurting the patients here?"

Mindy bit her painted lips before she glanced at the side but then she glanced up at the cameras. "I really wouldn't know Miss Terry, but… lets just say some of the less threatening ones have been known to appear with bruises somehow that look oddly shaped like… Warden Sharp's cain."

Mist's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to ask another question when a guard came through and walked up to the receptionist desk.

"Hey Mindy, where's the Gazzet lady?"

"She is currently the woman that is standing in front of my desk Jimmy," Mindy bit out before she turned to Mist and smiled. "Here's your visitors pass and if you would just sign your name in the logs book please and be sure to remember to sign out."

"Will do," Mist smiled as she wrote her name on the log and on the visitors pass, clipping the pass to her coat as she turned to the guard. "Officer Andrews I believe."

"Yeah, sorry for the wait. If you would follow me, I'll take you to the Warden's office," the young man smiled and Mist smiled back at him as he led the way out of the receptionist's room, her eyes watching every move he made.

What shocked her was the state in which Arkham was. Most of it had seemed to have gone into disrepair and ruin, only adding to the creepy vibe of the Asylum itself.

"I think some of this stuff needs replacing," Mist commented as she almost tripped over a loose tile.

The guard sighed before he nodded in agreement. "Budget cuts miss. Sorry about the mess."

"It's not your fault," Mist looked muttered as she was brought outside, glancing up at the huge statues but one caught her attention.

"Is that… a statue of Quincy Sharp?"

The guard looked up and slowly nodded. "Yes Miss. He… thinks quite highly of himself."

"You don't say."

He brought her through the mansion, people casted glances at her, but she ignored them all, focused mainly on getting to the Warden's office. But just as they reached the door she imagined was the office a Doctor holding a great many files in her hand pushed open the door and ran straight into Mist knocking files everywhere.

"Watch where you're going."

"Excuse me, but I believe it was you who ran into me," Mist spat back before her eyes casted over the files and one caught her eye.

Titan.

What on earth was Titan? A new patient? One she hand't heard of?

The Doctor quickly picked up her papers before she stormed past Mist with an indignant look on her face.

Mist glared equally back but the guard just laughed.

"Yeah… that's Doc Young for you. She's a real piece of work, I don't really like her that much, but that's just me."

"You can add me to that list of not liking her. What is Titan by the way?"

"I don't know, some new project Doctor Young and the Warden are working on or something, I'm not sure," he knocked on the door and called through to the Warden before he turned back to Mist and smiled. "Well, I guess you could always ask him now."

"Yes, I guess I could," Mist smiled. "Thank you Officer Andrews."

"I'll be here to take you back to the reception desk, it's for security purposes."

"Understood," she nodded before she entered through into the Warden's office, the man in question seemed to be standing waiting for her.

"Miss Terry, I believe," he stated, an air of authority and damn right pig headedness sounded in his voice as he spoke, head held high with his cain in his hands.

"It is, Mister Sharp," she smiled back at him and he nodded, directing her attention to the desk as she walked over, following him as he took a seat behind it and she in front of it.

"Care to tell me what this is about?"

"Well, the Gazzet was going to be doing a piece about the recent suicides that have been happening here," Mist smiled and put her hand in her bag as she clicked the button on the tape recorder she had. "I just wanted to get a member of staffs point of view and who would be more important or indeed more perfect then yourself, Warden."

"Yes well, you did indeed come to the right place. I am very sorry to say that the recent deaths were all suicides, maybe the patients came to terms with what they had done and couldn't live with themselves. We shall never know. Unfortunately that particular place in Arkham is a well known jumping point."

"Which begs the question as to why it hasn't been cornered off," Mist commented as she leaned back into her chair. "One would assume that after the number of attempts of suicide let alone the successors you would of closed off that area to ensure no further deaths in the future."

"Yes well, budget cuts and things… it would take time and money and even if they didn't jump off that point, they would most certainly find other means of doing it, of that I can assure you."

"And the recent death of one of your staff?"

"Ah yes, tragic, simply tragic. He was a fine young man. A good worker, the type of person Arkham was more then happy to have here."

"Hmm. Mister Sharp, what if there was some notion of fowl play?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, I'm no psychologist," Mist went on but she frowned at him. "But I'd say that it is very odd that this amount of suicides have happened here, especially when you analyse the given fact that most are narcissists or people that suffer from god complexes. It then seems odd that they would then kill themselves wouldn't you say?"

"What our patients think and feel is their own choice, here at Arkham we only work to help them and enable them to go back into society."

"I can't help but notice that you haven't answered my question."

"There has been no fowl play in the deaths of these unfortunate individuals!" Sharp growled out. "The very idea that such a thing has happened is quite frankly insulting to Arkham."

"That's odd because I find Arkham an insult on Gotham. Your security alone is almost laughable," Mist narrowed her eyes at him from across the table. "Also given this Asylum's history… it would be safe to assume that some of these deaths may be down to fowl play. Especially when there are the rumours going around of illegal experiments being preformed on the patients."

"I feel you are being disrespectful of my institute. Here we try to help and cure the sick and you are claiming that we are hurting our patients?" He shook his head. "The idea is ridiculous."

"So you do not believe that there is any fowl play in these deaths?"

"I know there is no fowl play in them. None at all."

"What about Hugo Strange?"

"Professor Strange is one of our best professionals here. We are lucky to have him," Sharp was silent before he started to laugh. "You don't believe that Hugo had something to do with this do you? That is absurd!"

"Is it?" Mist challenged.

"Quite, Miss Terry. It indeed is."

Mist froze at the new voice and she slowly turned her attention towards the door which happened to have a figure now standing in it. Slowly the the figure stepped into the light a stern look on his face, but maybe a hint of amusement was there too as he seemed to be studying Mist.

"Professor Strange," Mist whispered as she stared in slight horror at the man before her.

"Miss Terry," he nodded before he slowly walked over to the desk. "I read your work in the papers, you have a very unique view on life and scandals. More to the point, you focus primarily on scandals. No doubt because you have partnered yourself with Jack Ryder."

"How do you-?!"

"I'm a psychologist, Miss Terry. I recognised that man's work anywhere on the paper, a note of grandeur is always present in his particular style of writing."

Mist was silent before she turned back to the Warden. "What's Titan?"

The Warden blinked in surprise before he narrowed his eyes at her from behind his glasses. "I believe you've over stayed your welcome here, Miss Terry. I will ask you to leave now and you may leave, either by choice or by force."

"And let us be honest," Strange spoke up as he clasped his hands behind his back and studied her through his glasses. "A scene would create quite the black mark on your already failing reputation as a journalist, one might even call you an anarchist, Miss Terry," he side stepped and directed her attention to the door. "I need to speak with the Warden in private anyway. Take your leave."

Mist swallowed before she walked towards the door, head held high with what little confidence she had. "I'll be back, Strange," she growled out as she opened the door and glared back at him.

Strange let the tiniest of smiles form across his face. "I expected as much, Miss Terry and I'm looking forward to it."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Next chapter yes! Well I hope you guys like this and oh boy... Strange... creepy creepy Strange. So yeah... hope you guys like this :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Suspect Everyone

Suspect Everyone.

* * *

As the door slammed behind her Mist only casted a glare towards it before she looked back at the guard, Jimmy Andrews, who was her escort around the building.

"Things not go your way, Miss?" he asked with a slight tilt to his head, gun held tightly in his hand as Mist slipped her hand into her bag and switched the recorder off and sighed.

"Who is Professor Strange?" she questioned and noted how the guard seemed to pale a little bit before he nodded in the direction to the corridor exit.

"If you're leaving I need to take you through to reception. This way."

She supposed he was just doing his job so she followed him back through the halls of Arkham, passing the other guards and noticing Doctor Young again, she seemed to be talking to another one of the Doctors, Mist couldn't read the name from here but it seemed that the man was scared of Doctor Young. She was a very intense woman by the looks of things.

"Stay close, miss."

She blinked before quickly side stepping as a tall thing man with amber eyes was brought past her, he looked in her direction, eyes practically raking up her form before resting on her face, but it wasn't in the way someone who would be looking as the attraction towards her, it was studying, analysing.

The gaze he held with her was a calculating one, that seemed to stay on her for a long time before he turned his head back to the way he was walking and continued to walk with his armed guard that surrounded him.

Mist frowned, being analysed like that… it was like she was being analysed by a psychiatrist, like the man was looking right through her and at her very soul.

"Who was that?"

"That?" the guard the looked back and shuddered slightly. "Jonathan Crane. You might know him as Scarecrow."

"I know who Jonathan Crane is, Officer," she turned back to him and tilted her head to the side. "Any reason he seemed so interested in me?"

"Crane has a habit of doing that…" the Officer explained. "Apparently he studies everyone he sees, trying to find weakness, what makes us tick so he can use that against us, especially against the Doctors who interview him. I mean it was just last week when he took over a session."

"He took over his session?"

"Poor guys still in therapy," the Guard admitted before he shook his head and nodded towards the door. "We gotta leave now Miss. They'll be bringing in more patients soon."

"Yes, of course," Mist was silent as she followed the guard out of the mansion. "What about the patient who went missing?" Mist spoke up causing the Guard to pause and look at her. "Have you found him yet?"

"You work with Jack Ryder don't you," the Guard whispered as he studied her a moment.

"I… do yes, why is that-?" suddenly the answers clicked into place. "You're his contact aren't you."

"Yeah, but I'd prefer it if you kept it down, especially when we're near some of the other guards. I don't want them saying anything to the Warden, you have no idea what might happen if he finds out I'm talking to the press."

"What if its not the Warden?" Mist questioned with a raised eyebrow and the Guard looked at her curiously. "What if it's Strange?"

Officer Andrews didn't say anything, instead he opened the door to the receptionist room and directed her inside. "Have a safe journey Miss."

* * *

The halls of Arkham Asylum were alive with inmate activity, all of them were up and about, word of another patient going missing was in the air.

Jonathan however was not worried, he had no reason to be. After all, only the lower risk patients were going missing that was comforting enough.

Edward still seemed to be worried, just that little bit as he paced back and forth, hardly seeming to notice Jonathan's very presence in the room. He was muttering to himself again and Jonathan rolled his eyes at this as he walked past him and picked up his book from under his bed.

"Are you trying to dig a hole in the ground?"

Edward narrowed his eyes at him. "No you idiot. I'm thinking."

"And I was making a joke Edward," he looked up over his book to watch his cell mate still walk back and forth in front of him. "Are you still worrying about Strange?"

"You're certain its him?"

Jonathan nodded. "Doctor Kellerman went quiet when I mentioned his name and the recent deaths, thats all I need as confirmation. But something that may ease your mind-."

"My god. You're actually trying to be comforting," Edward said, the sarcasm dripping off every word he spoke causing the ex-psychologist to narrow his eyes at him.

"No you simpleton! I just can't stand you pacing like that any longer. You're giving me a headache. I saw a woman today-."

"Congratulations, Jonathan you were able to finally identify the opposite sex. I'm proud."

"If you would stop your pompous muttering and constant interruptions for just ten minuets you might actually learn something," Scarecrow grounded out before he composed himself and sighed. "She was a visitor here, but attached to her bag was a press pass. I also saw her this morning in the crowd, with that annoying write Jack Ryder. I believe she may have realised there is something very wrong at Arkham."

Edward blinked. "You mean… there maybe someone intelligent out there?"

"I… what did you just say?"

"Well, if she has realised there is something going on at Arkham, surly then that means she has a brain inside that head of hers! Oh Jonathan I never thought you of all people would find such a person."

"Edward I can't be sure and- what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm writing a letter."

"To..?"

"To the reporter you saw," Edward looked up and grinned. "She may have been smart enough to notice that there was something wrong here but, I do not have so much confidence in her figuring it all out on her own. She'll need help and who better then myself?"

"I could give you that list if you'd like."

Edward waved him off. "I'm the smartest man in Gotham, Crane. Nobody beats me."

"Ah yes, how could I forget," Jonathan put his book away and began to clean his glasses. "Are you here on a vacation then? Because I could of sworn…" he lifted his glasses up to the light to exhamin them. "That I saw Batman dragging your sorry hide through Arkham not too long ago."

"He cheated."

"He can't cheat every time."

"He does cheat every time," Edward growled out as he tensed on the sentence he was writing. "How else is he beating me?!"

"By figuring it out?"

"Oh like your cell doesn't have a revolving door, Jonathan!"

"You would know Edward," Jonathan smirked. "After all, it is the same cell."

The man of riddles took a pause long enough to send his best glare at the Scarecrow, who simply blinked owl like at him with no emotion on his face at all.

"Look. This may be our one chance to save ourselves," Edward explained as he held the note up to exhamin it. "And if I can help in saving myself by using outside sources I'll take it. Besides, you were a psychologist, you should know that in the end any psychopath will move on to a bigger target once they get more confident."

"That is true."

"Exactly," Edward grinned at him. "I'm just making sure that bigger target isn't me."

"Self preservation at its finest. What have you written? Help?"

"No!" He looked offended. "I am far better at writing then a mere 'help me' letter. I'm simply telling her she is right, that there is something going on at Arkham and she should look into Strange."

"And I imagine the bribing the guards to let this letter past comes next," Jonathan commented, bored as he rested his head in the palm of his hand.

"Indeed," Edward grinned. "But if worst comes to worst I can always ask Rat Catcher to take it out for me. Actually, Rat Catcher may be quicker."

"Or I could drop the first letter off for you," Jonathan suggested. "I am breaking out tonight, plus I know what she looks like."

"True," Edward admitted as he folded the letter up and turned to him handing it over. "The fate of our very lives hangs in the balance of this letter."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow before he smirked. "Your life maybe. I'm leaving tonight remember?"

Edward smiled bitterly as he glared back at him with narrowed eyes. "Indeed," he managed to grit out before he looked out of his cell at the sight of the two guards walking past their cell again.

"What the hell were you thinking Jimmy?"

"Huh?" the guard, the young new one looked at Officer Thomas in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about Andrews! You were talking with that reporter who came here. Are you nuts?! Didn't you listen to a thing I said yesterday? Bad things happen to people who talk."

"Well why can't we talk? I get that these people are bad but they don't deserve what they're getting. I'm sorry it just doesn't rest well on my conscience."

Thomas rolled his eyes before he turned his back on him. "What was that reporters name anyway? It was weird like.. like …" He turned and looked at Edward who was again looking neglagent to the whole conversation. "It was like his. Sounded like another word."

"Miss Terry was a very nice lady," the young guard growled.

"A very stupid lady if you ask me. What she think she has a right sticking her nose in buisness like this?" The guard laughed. "She's gonna get herself killed."

Officer Andrews shook his head before he glared back at his partner. "Look, I get it that you're scared, but I can't have people dying on my watch. I'm a guard. Not just to the staff and the people of Gotham but for the patients as well. These people are sick, they need help."

"You ask me pushing this psychos off a cliff is the best help for them," Thomas muttered as he wandered back down the hall, with the younger one shaking his head in annoyance but he casted a glance to Nigma who had seemed to have frozen at the mere mention of the woman's name.

"You okay Nigma?" he asked and that seemed to snap Edward out of his sudden freeze.

"Tell me," Edward leaned against the bars. "The name of the woman? What was it?"

"The reporter?" the Guard blinked. "Why'd you want to know?"

"Just tell me!" Edward yelled as he grabbed the bars and bored holes into the man in front of him. "Was it Mist? Was that her name?! Was her name Mist Terry?! Tell me!"

"I… I need to continue my rounds. Stay quiet Nigma, you don't want the orderlies to come and keep you quiet again do you?" Andrews muttered as he turned and began to walk off leaving Edward holding the bars in a iron tight grip, his knuckles were white as he seemed to be staring off into nothing.

"What was that outburst about?" Jonathan questioned as Edward froze and glared at him harshly.

"Never you mind, Crane. It's probably not her anyway… it would never be her…" he whispered as he walked back to his bed.

Jonathan was silent for a moment and examine Edward a moment taking him in and his current state. "Mist Terry?" Jonathan mused and Edward's eyes suddenly snapped to him with a piercing glare. "Sounds an awful lot like mystery? Was that the little mystery that hurt you?"

The prince of riddles narrowed his eyes. "Don't you have an escape to conduct?"

Jonathan smiled slightly as he hid the letter inside his jumpsuit. "Yes I believe I do. I'll be in touch," he waved at him as the guards came to take Edward to his session, leaving Jonathan smirking all the way at him.

Edward was dragged through the halls, his eyes glancing and observing, questioning everyone. These were dangerous times and in such times you need to question, no suspect everyone. As he was led through he caught a glance at the car park and saw a raven haired woman get into her car.

His eyes widened as he recognised the style of hair cut, the egyptian style bob blew the summer breeze at Arkham as she got in her car, but she never turned around… he couldn't be sure.

No sooner had he been brought into the mansion alarms sprang up everywhere, alerting to Jonathan's escape and as Edward was hauled to the side so he could be monitored he caught a glance at Strange who seemed to be studying him with the utmost intent, a smile falling across his features like he knew. Like he knew Edward suspected him the most out of everyone, but no worse then that, it was like he knew something Edward would want to know. Something so very important to him. Edward hated those smiles.

Strange studied him a moment longer from the balcony, before he picked up a pile of files, turned on his heel and walked away to the records room, no doubt to his own private office.

That smile was still bothering Edward though. Strange knew something, knew something important and that in itself was concerning but also… exciting. Edward almost felt giddy.

A smile fell across his own face as he was surround by panic and chaos, as the world around him lost its grip and control on its sanity he could only smile at the prospect of what was to come.

Quietly in the comfort of his own hearing and head he whispered fondly to himself, an edge of excitement lacing his voice as he spoke for no one else to hear. "And so it begins…"

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: okay so yeah this took a while to post, kept forgetting to. But here it is, enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4: I wrote a letter

I wrote a letter…

* * *

She pressed stop on the recording and Jack sat shaking his head. He stared back at her in concern.

"Jesus, Terry. They said all that to you?"

Mist sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly before looking back at Jack. "It's on the tape insist it? I just… I'm going to get no where with this story with everyone slamming their doors in my face."

"Talk about a frozen moment."

"Please don't. For the sake of sanity."

Jack laughed lightly before he smirked. "Sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood. Look, I think those last few lines could be counted as threats. Wanna go to the police about this?"

"What's the point?" Mist sighed as she picked up a file and flicked through it. "By the time we get a court order, both Sharp and Strange will be hidden behind lawyers and paper work and by the time anything gets through to the court the case will be dropped due to lack of evidence," she slammed the file down on her desk and groaned. "I hate people like that. Who can use the law to protect themselves even while they break it. They're the worst kind of criminal."

"Well I would of said murderers are the worst kind of criminal, but sure I can see your point," Jack looked back at her and saw the hopeless look in her eyes like she actually thought she couldn't win this one. "Oh come on Mist. You ain't backing out of this one, you're too stubborn for that."

"Whats the point? Nothing will happen."

"Not unless we make it happen. I know you, you never give up on a story," Jack sat on the edge of her desk and grinned back at her. "And I don't give up on a story either and we ain't gonna loose this one, I can tell you that."

"Ha," Mist smiled and looked back at her friend. "Ya know most of the time you're a real pain, but… sometimes you can be less of a Jerk then usual."

"I try," he smirked before he noticed a delivery man walking up to him and he seemed to be carrying a letter in hand.

"Whats this?"

"A letter."

With that said the delivery man wondered off, but Mist narrowed her eyes at him. She'd seen that tall lanky frame before and those eyes… those eyes were so.. oh god.

She span around and watched as Jack opened the letter.

"No Jack don't!"

He looked at her bizarrely as he pulled the letter out and nothing happened. "What?"

"That was Crane!"

"Huh?"

Mist slapped a hand to her face. "Scarecrow! He just delivered that letter, I recognised him from Arkham."

"Well… I survived an encounter with the Scarecrow."

"Are you nuts?! Jack that man-."

"Ugh, Terry… I think you might want to take a look at this. I think it's for you."

Mist blinked up at him. "What?"

He handed her the letter wordlessly before turning to the phone to ring office security. Mist gave him a look and he shrugged back at her.

"You think I'm that irresponsible I wouldn't call security about Scarecrow?"

"Try me."

"Read the letter."

Mist rolled her eyes before she looked down at the letter in her hand and frowned at it in confusion. Who'd be sending her a letter?

 _\- Hello little investigator._

 _Yes you're right, that I can confirm. Something very very wrong is happening in Arkham. I am surprised that you have noticed it. You may be one of the few people with a brain inside their head. I congratulate you on being able to keep it in this urban cesspool of a city. Truly._

 _Anyway; yes you are correct, there are some… Strange goings on here at cheary old Arkham. I thought you might like some help. Some pointers in the right direction. You may have been smart enough to figure out there is something wrong here, but the investigation itself, I'm afraid I don't have that much confidence in you solving this riddle on your own, without my guidance at the very least._

 _I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon, my dear, do return a letter back, I can give you pointers like this. You seem to have a Sharp eye on the goings on here. Cut to the point already, my dear, you're wasting valuable time._

 _Yours Faithfully- Edward. E. Nigma. The Riddler._

Mist blinked and swallowed slowly before she looked back at Jack who seemed to be looking back at her with a worried look.

"Did I…" she trailed off before looking back at the letter and slowly folding it up. "Did I just attract the attention of one of the most dangerous criminals in Gotham?"

Jack nodded slightly. "Be grateful he doesn't know your name."

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

"Mist.. Mist Terry? Have you seriously not noticed that your name sounds like-."

"Mystery," Mist whispered with a downcast look to her face as she faced the floor a sad look on her face as she seemed to be remembering something.

"Yeah…" Jack trailed off with a frown as he looked her up and down. She seemed to be lost in the past, like a memory or something.

"Hmm," Mist hummed to herself. "I've heard it before."

Silence followed and Jack stared at her for a long time as she seemed to be fighting with some inner demons from her past. She seemed haunted… really haunted by something or someone…

"Mist have you… have you ever met the Riddler before-?"

"No!" she snapped at him before she reached for a pen and some paper. "I have never met the psychotic loon."

"Okay…" he whispered before the phone rang and he quickly answered it. "What? Oh dammit! Well… thanks for trying at least," he hung and sighed. "Scarecrow got away. Wanna call the cops?"

"No."

"You do realise you're letting a dangerous psychopath run free, right?"

"Right at this moment in time, I don't care," she muttered as she continued to write.

Jack frowned at her. "What are you doing?"

"Writing a letter."

"You can't be serious."

"Jack, right now I need all the help I can get," Mist grit out as she signed it and folded the paper up, before placing it in an envelope. "And even the help from patient is better then no help at all."

"You just called him a psychotic loon!" he cried out before standing up. "And now you're what? Going to be pen pals with him?!"

"It doesn't concern you!" she snarled as she stood up too, letter in hand. "As I recall you said I was crazy for thinking there was something wrong at Arkham, you didn't believe me!" she lifted up one of the files on her desk and slammed it down on his. "Believe me now?!" the photographs of the crime scenes and some of the dead patients slipped out and covered his desk as Mist turned on her heel and walked over to the lift, leaving Jack behind to only stare after her, before his gaze fell on the bodies of the dead inmates.

He slowly sat down in his seat and sighed putting his head in his hands. "Oh god… what have we got mixed up in?"

* * *

To say he was surprised was an understatement. Edward had not been expecting a letter back but even as he read over the words he couldn't help but let a smile fall across his face and when he reached the signature his smile only grew.

"Oh how very clever of you dear," he muttered before he picked up a piece of paper he stole from an Doctor's desk today and began to write another letter.

Monday-

 _-My dear Sphinx, as you so like to be addressed._

 _I am surprised to hear from you so quickly, most people wouldn't have responded to my letter, but you seem to be one of the very view smart people left. I applaud you for that, truly. I'm sorry if I insulted your intelligence in my last letter, that was no my intention. I simply didn't know how clever you were and now that I see you have replied my hopes are already lifted. You may be just above the average intelligence that is considered the norm in this city. I myself simply call it stupidity._

 _But, I digress. You are correct in assuming that Hugo Strange is the man behind this. I believe he has some hold over the Warden, somehow. What I cannot fathom is to why he keeps these patients for as long as he does and why no one is able to find them around the island. I am not saying I do not know, I am saying I do not know yet. You understand._

 _Your thoughts on this matter?_

Thursday-

 _\- Riddler._

 _Strange is conducting experiments on the patients, or that is what I believe to be happening. That is why he had the guard killed. Suicide is ridiculous and the police are idiots to think such a thing. I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree when it comes to this city's intelligence. But I will argue that in some cases it is simply fear holding them back not stupidity._

 _The Warden suffers from some sort of mental disorder. Strange is rumoured to be treating him, that could be why he's turning a blind eye and making sure the staff do the same. He can't risk his illness getting out to the public. Would it be possible that Strange is black mailing him?_

 _\- Sphinx._

Monday-

 _\- Oh my dear Sphinx, you are a little temptress aren't you?_

 _In answer to your questions, yes it is possible for Strange to be blackmailing the Warden, that would indeed explain many things._

 _If you wish to discuss the subject of fear… you should of spoken with my acquaintance Jonathan. (That's Scarecrow for a simple girl like yourself.)_

 _And the Warden has an illness? Oh really? This should indeed be fun to play with, I thank you very much for that piece of information, my little investigator. Truly you are a gold mine of information. Mind If I ask for more information on this matter. And experiments on the patients you say? Ha. Maybe he should take a lesson or two from Jonathan._

 _Looking forward to hearing from you._

 _-Edward Nigma- The Riddler._

Wednesday-

 _-Riddler._

 _Don't insult my inteligence._

 _-Sphinx._

Saturday-

 _-Curiouser and curiouser. You truly are a riddle my dear Sphinx._

 _Anyway, there is another new problem to discuss and worry of. Project Titan. Doctor Young is the leading head in it's making. Of what it is I have no idea, no one seems to be talking, quite odd really. Even Harley the dear chatterbox is also quiet._

 _Quite odd if you ask me._

 _Now once more my question remains the same. Experiments. What have you heard?_

 _Write back soon my dear Sphinx._

 _-Edward Nigma._

Tuesday-

 _-Riddler._

 _Will you please stop flirting with me. This is strictly business, nothing more. I'm not going to become another Harley Quinn and I feel insulted that you would try to do such a thing to me._

 _I don't know much about the Titan. I know that Doctor Young was making it, she seemed to be talking to another Doctor. He looked skittish, scared even. A lot weaker minded than Young herself but I don't blame him. That woman was a real piece of work._

 _As for experiments, I believe that is what Project Titan is. An experiment. Could Young and Strange be working together?_

 _-Sphinx._

Friday-

 _-My darling Sphinx, after all the letters we have sent. Still no first name basis? Please, do call me Edward. Riddler is so formal._

 _Another Harley Quinn you say? Please. I respect you and myself enough to not lower myself to that psychotic clowns level, I am above such things. I actually feel insulted that you think I would try such a thing on you. You're far too smart for that._

 _I know of the Doctor of who you speak. I will… have a little chat with him, that you can be sure of. And do tell with Doctor Young. God, that woman is one of the most irritating I have ever met. I am currently under her care and she… she is so infuriating! She won't even answer one of my riddles and she sends me back to my cell if I try to ask. Such an evil woman, I would not be surprised if she and Strange are working together!_

 _Project Titan… it seems she wishes me to be a part of it somehow… I heard he talking about it into her recording and my name came up. Would you believe. But you were correct, it is an experiment._

 _Rest assured I am fine._

 _Oh and speaking of riddles…_

 _Riddle me this! What belongs to you, but others use it more then you do?_

 _-Edward Nigma._

Monday:

 _-Riddler._

 _Your name._

 _Now, back to the story at hand… what did you do to that Doctor? You didn't hurt him did you?!_

 _And I do not care for such a thing. Though I do feel sorry for you having Young as your therapist. I always find that word funny. Therapist. It can also mean 'the rapist' but I'm sure you would of noticed that already and in some ways its fitting. Psychiatrists do intrude on the minds of a patient… with or without their consent._

 _But I digress._

 _And once again, stop flirting with me._

 _-Sphinx._

* * *

Edward had to laugh at the last letter she sent him. Truly this woman was an enigma, a brilliantly twisted and intelligent enigma. One he intended to solve first chance he got. She still wouldn't give her name up to him and refused to call him by his name. Distancing herself was what she was obviously doing. She didn't want to become attached to him and wasn't letting any thing to chance.

But he needed that. If she was attached to him he could direct her in any direction he liked, however he wanted and no one would be the wiser. It was plan and so… well, if there was one thing he'd learnt about women over the years is that they always fall for the emotional side of things.

* * *

Thursday-

 _\- Sphinx, my dear._

 _I'm afraid my letter is late because I had an unfortunate occurrence as of late… my father died. I can confirm that he was not a very nice man, he… beat me. Called me horrid names, such as moron, that one being his favourite. It hurst so much, I had no mother growing up, no loving parents just abuse day in and day out. All I wanted was to prove myself to him, all I wanted was for him to love me. And now he's gone and I can never get what I have craved for all my life._

 _I'm sorry, such matters do not concern you I know but, you seem to be the only person who is willing to listen, everyone else just ignores me like my father does- did._

 _Well done on getting the riddle right and no I did not hurt the Doctor._

 _I have nothing on project Titan I'm afraid… I'll be in contact soon, I promise._

 _-Edward._

When the letter arrived Edward felt giddy. He opened it with care and his grin rose to an insane proportion as he read what was written. Seemed that little lie had done the trick. She felt compassion for him, said how sorry she was, claiming that she once had a friend who'd had a similar home and family life and that she was so very sorry for his loss and wished that she could do something. Even suggested that he stop writing to her if he wanted to get over his grief, if continuing with the story right now wasn't the right time, it was fine she had quite a lot to go on thanks to him so he didn't have to continue if he didn't feel up to it.

He still didn't have her real name but, well feeling empathy was the first step, now all he had to do was gain her trust, get her name, convince her some more and ho hey he'd have his very own Harley Quinn.

A grin stretched across his face. With her, he could do anything find out anything he wanted and manipulate her in just the right was and she may even help him escape, now wouldn't that be nice her?

Edward leaned back in his cell, resting his hands behind his head.

"You're going to be mine, little Sphinx, all mine."

* * *

T.B.C:


	5. Chapter 5 The definition of insanity

The definition of insanity.

* * *

"You're crazy."

"Not really."

"You're verging on it."

"Hmm… maybe."

Jack stood silently and shook his head as he watched Mist pack up her things and start to leave. Her plan… if you could call it that… was crazy. Insane.

"You can't think that this plan.. is going to work… Mist… what happens if theres a riot?"

She shrugged. "I'll figure that out as I get there. Its a problem I'll solve once and if I get to that bridge."

Jack simply stared after her hopelessly. There was no way he would or could talk her out of this plan. She'd somehow managed to get in contact with his contact in Arkham and he'd agreed to the plan. Was he just as nuts as her?

She left and Jack sat on the edge of the desk simply staring after her, before he sighed and shook his head.

"She still owes me that coffee."

* * *

Okay so, all she had to do now was keep her cool, follow Officer Andrews through Arkham until they got to the guards room, where she would then change into a guards uniform and see if she could record anything.

Andrews helped her put the armour on, as well as the helmet as she straightened out he handed her a gun.

"There's only blanks in there," he informed her. "I don't think you'd want to be firing live rounds at anybody."

"Yeah.." Mist agreed as she shrugged her shoulders to get comfortable. "Though I'm sure I could always accidentally curb a real bullet against Hugo Strange's head right?"

"That'd be murder, Miss."

"Mist, remember, I told you to call me Mist," she smiled up at him before she shrugged. "And yeah I guess you're right, it would be murder, but it would be so worth it."

Andrews let a smile twitch at the corner of his mouth before he picked up his own gun and directed her to follow him out of the room.

"Just stay close to me, Mis- um Mist. By the way Mandy knows too and she's got you covered if any of the guards ask her anything. They usually do because they enjoy flirting with her."

"I see," Mist looked around, it was odd, she was able to go behind the scenes. There were patients locked up in cells together, one being horribly burnt looked up at her and winked before he whistled.

"Hey lady!" he called through to her. "You can discipline me anytime!"

"Ignore him," Andrews whispered to her.

"Planning to."

"Yeah… Lynns seems to see himself as a bit of a lady's man. Apparently and I quote: Chicks dig the scars. so yeah, you can imagine."

They wondered through the corridors, passing occasionally empty cells, one in particular caught her eye and she froze, staring into it as he mind wondered back to the letters and the flirting he had posted to her all the damn time.

"Is everything okay?"

She blinked and turned back to Officer Andrews and sighed before she nodded. "Yeah… its just… is this the Riddler's cell?"

"Yep. He's been… I don't know happy recently, like ecstatic. Doctor Young is loosing her temper with him because he's starting to be a real… annoyance."

"Only starting?"

"Heh, funny thats what all the guards said when she told them."

"Where is he now?"

"In a session most likely. Why the sudden interest in the Riddler?"

She paled. She couldn't tell him. How could she tell anyone that yeah she'd been a super criminals illegal pen pal for the past few weeks. Yeah… no that wasn't happening at all. How could it?

"Just curious," she shrugged. "Guess it's my love of puzzles. My name doesn't help matters either."

"Mist… Terry? Oh."

"Yeah…" Mist smiled sheepishly before she looked back at the cell, covered in green question marks all over the walls of the cell as well as… words scratched into the surface on the other wall, overlooking a second bed. She peered around the the cell and noticed other marks, not by Riddler but by other villains who'd had this cell as home at one point in their lives and thus, they decided to vandalise it to claim it as their own.

"Make sure Riddler never finds out about your name."

She blinked and noted how Andrews was now staring at the cell too.

"What?"

"Make sure Riddler never finds out what your name is. You'll set him off and… he'll become obsessed with you and trust me, you don't want that."

"Oh believe me," Mist mumbled as she looked to the floor before she pushed past the guard and began to head in the direction of the mansion. "I already know what its like to be part of someone's obsession."

Andrews quickly caught up with her, but noting how her face had suddenly gone to a cold stone like resting place, he guessed it would be a bad idea to question her about what she meant. But she almost seemed haunted by it, haunted by her own name.

They reached the mansion and it seemed everyone was changing round patients, guards were being pulled left and right to take them away.

Andrews was suddenly called over and Mist went to follow him when she was suddenly grabbed by an orderly and directed to another room.

"Umm what?"

"You need to take this patient back," he explained as he opened the door and out stepped-.

No. No that wasn't possible!

He seemed equally shocked to see her too.

Edward Nigma stared at Mist Terry in a pure state of shock and she seemed to be doing the same.

"Well you going to take him or not?!"

She snapped out of her shock and glared at the orderly harshly. "Sure."

Slowly Mist walked over and grab his arm, quite tightly too it seemed. Hmm, obviously someone still held a grudge against him.

She began to lead him out of the room and head towards the exit and noted how Andrews was staring at her with a worried look across his face, but she shrugged it off and looked dead ahead, leading Edward out. But now, it seemed her mind had gone blank. She couldn't remember for the life of her where his cell was.

"What gives human beings symptoms of sweating and nausea, yet no human being can live without it?"

Mist glared ahead at her, trying to ignore him best she could.

"No? Love," he glanced at her. "And I know you knew the answer to that."

"Keep walking," she growled out.

"I must say that uniform is not very complimentary of your figure."

"And when did you become a fashion expert?"

"Green is much more your colour."

"Not the answer to my question."

"Always so harsh," he mused to himself before s smile graced his lips, but it was hollow and cold. "What's made years but broken in a single minute?"

She didn't answer.

"Trust."

He winced slightly as her grip tightened around his arm to the point he swore she cut off his circulation.

"Touch a nerve a did I?"

"You keep talking, _Nashton_ ," he narrowed his eyes at the sir name. "And I'll do more then touch a nerve with you."

"Careful dear, I hear people get fired for that sort of thing."

"Then its a good job I don't work here."

He blinked before he looked up ahead at a crossroad, and noted how Mist seemed to be slowing down. She was unsure of which way to go and he had to smile.

"Its a left, dear."

"Do you have to be any more obvious?!" she snarled back in a whisper as she noticed some of the guards were looking at her with curiosity before that look changed to something she really didn't like and Edward obviously noticed because he glared at the guards harshly and they suddenly looked away.

"Scum," he growled out as they continued to walk. "How dare they look at you in such a way."

"Lynn looked at me in that way too, so you can calm down. It happens all the time."

"It shouldn't. They should know not to look at whats not theirs!"

"I agree," she nodded her head before she glared up at him. "But I'm not yours either."

"Oh you've always been mine.." Edward chuckled. "Since we were _kids_ you were mine and you really think I'm going to loose you."

"Edward, you already lost me."

"Oh I don't think I did… Sphinx."

She froze.

Edward laughed, rolling his head back as they finally reached his cell and she opened it before she shoved him in.

"You think I didn't realise? As soon as I saw you, I knew. I must admit the writing was similar and I did have my suspicions but alas… I didn't fully believe them and yet… here you are."

"Oh dear god…" she pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes shut. "Younger me, what the hell did you see in this man? I'm at a loss."

"You seemed pretty taken in when I told you about my dear departed father."

"Which you lied about."

"A little white lie."

"Still a lie, Nashton," Mist narrowed her eyes at him. "You and I know both know very well what really happened to your father."

* * *

 _A smashed up room, darkness everywhere, a battered body at the foot of the stairs. The young man standing above with a baseball bat, crazed look to his once intelligent eyes._

' _And he said I didn't have a good swing,' he laughed as the young woman stared on in horror as the bat came smashing down again and again._

 _A death on both their hands. Had to hide it, couldn't go to prison._

 _An idea._

' _Robbery gone wrong. Home invasion gone south. Trick the cops, they won't think to look at us.'_

 _An idea was made and a plan was formed._

 _Edward Nashton's first and last murder._

* * *

Edward narrowed his eyes briefly, before he sighed and sat down on his bed. "Pray tell, what is your interest in Strange and his game?"

"I want the truth and the people of Gotham deserve to know the truth," Mist answered honestly as she studied him, she had to be alert when Edward was around, he was generally always three steps ahead of everyone, with Mist he was only ever one step ahead and he knew that, so he was careful. But that one step could sometimes be so far in advance, she'd never see it coming.

"Oh yes because you so do care about the truth," he chided her. "You honestly expecting me to believe that lie?"

"You killed your father, Edward," she stated as she stared back at him with a cold and distant look.

"And you were the audience who watched and didn't do a thing to stop me," he hissed as he studied her equally. "Or did you forget that little piece of information? Tell me my dear, does it bother you? Knowing what I become. You know they say the first kill has the biggest impact on a mans sanity. Do you blame yourself for letting me kill my father? One could argue that it's actually your fault that I'm in here."

"Its your fault you're in here, Edward," she hissed before she gripped the bars. "I had nothing to do with you dressing in green and running around spitting out riddles to whoever is unfortunate to hear them. You did that all on your own, and yet you still haven't learnt."

"Still haven't learnt what?"

"The definition of insanity."

"The definition of insanity is most of these crazies who are currently wondering these very halls!"

Mist laughed before she shook her head. "No, Edward. Insanity is doing the same thing every time, but expecting different results. That's insane."

"What are you getting at you damn woman?!"

"You repeat yourself constantly. You try to beat Batman over and over and over again in the same ways… expecting it to change and yet you're surprised when it doesn't."

"Are you calling me… crazy?" he whispered, but there was a dark undertone to his voice, something she'd only ever heard a few times in her life. Once when he killed his father and another time when…

She swallowed before backing away from him. This wasn't the Edward she knew. This… man, no this monster was not her Edward. He died years ago. Not literally, no, but mentally… her Edward was lost to her years ago and he obviously wasn't coming back anytime soon.

"Are you calling yourself sane?" she whispered back as she stared at him.

She looked over to the side and noticed Andrews had finally been able to catch up with her and he looked worried. He glanced around the corridor before nodding to Mist to come quickly.

"This isn't over," Edward growled out as Mist turned to leave.

"It is over Edward," she snapped. "We've always been over since… since then."

"Oh you… poor deluded fool!" he snarled as he suddenly stood up at the bars, gripping them in an iron grip as he pressed his head against the bars to try and be threatening towards her. "This has never been over and you honestly think you can escape me?! You're mine. I claimed you. I took you all for myself and you seriously think I'm just going to let you go? Not likely," he smirked harshly. "We were made for each other, Mist. You and me, the riddle and the mystery, what a perfect pair we are for each other."

"No…" she shook her head and backed up away from him. "You're wrong… you… we are not made for each other!"

"Yes we are," he breathed before a slow smile spread across his face. "And in due course, you will come to realise this. You will realise we are the same."

"Mist!" the guard whispered harshly from the corridor. "You gotta go. Now!"

Mist nodded before she glanced back at Edward who slowly pulled away from the bars. "I'll be seeing you soon… my mystery."

She'd never left a building as quick as she left Arkham in her life. She had to leave… had to get away from him, that man. He knew what made her tick, knew exactly what to say to get under her skin. To attack her at the very core and still some how make her feel for him in ways she knew she shouldn't.

She would never fall for him again, no matter what he said… she was free and rid of him… wasn't she?

* * *

Andrews knew something was wrong. He had a knack for that sort of thing and he didn't know why, but now.. now he was worried.

Standing outside of his apartment, hood up so no one saw his face, phone pressed to his ear tightly. He shivered as the rain trickled inside his hood and dripped down his neck.

He listened carefully as the phone began to ring on the other end, before it was picked up.

"Ugh… hello?"

"Sorry if I woke you up, Mister Ryder."

"Huh? Oh Mister Andrews! Was Mist okay at Arkham?"

Officer Andrews bit his lip. "That's actually what I'm calling you about."

"Why? what happened? Is she okay?"

"Yeah she's fine it's just…"

"Just what?"

Jimmy sighed and ran a hand down his face, before he quickly turned away from a passing car to hide his face. "I.. I think she knows the Riddler."

"What do you mean?"

"They were talking… today and-."

"You let Mist talk to that mad man?!"

"What? No! She was dressed as a guard and got roped into taking him to his cell on her own but… Mister Ryder there was something off."

"What do you mean?" Jacks voice sounded utterly confused.

"Like they were old friends…" Jimmy slowly looked around him. "It was weird… hell the way Nigma was talking it sounded more like they were old partners."

"What!? Mist doesn't have a criminal record."

"Not that kind of partners. I mean I think they were a couple. Nigma started going on about some weird stuff, saying that she was his and that, and I quote: that he claimed her and she couldn't leave him because she was his. Mist seemed really shook up when I called her away and here's the thing… he called her his mystery."

Jack was silent on the other end of the phone, so silent that Jimmy thought he wasn't there anymore.

"Mister Ryder?"

"Are you sure that's what he called her?"

"Yeah, I'm certain," he looked around before sighing. "Look I'm gonna have to go but… Mister Ryder; I'd watch out for Mist. She's a loose cannon and there's something bigger going on between her and the Riddler. Ancient history."

* * *

T.B.C:

 **Note: Okay yeah.. so been a while I know and I apologise for it, so here two chapters! :D Expect more soon, since I've already written 6 and are currently writing 7. The plots thickening. Hope you guys enjoyed these two chapters and** **reviews are always welcome :D Also constructive criticism, but no flame. There is no reason to be mean about someone's work just because you don't like it or they've made a few mistakes, at least they have had the courage to put their stories out there.**

 **So yeah, see ya in chapter 6 guys :D**


	6. Chapter 6 Threes a crowd

Threes a crowd.

* * *

Mist sat in her apartment as she studied her work, all of her things, every single bit of evidence she had for her story. It was taking so much time and it was leading her down a darker and darker road, as much as she wished it wouldn't. It had been a week since, she had seen him… seen Edward.

She groaned and put her head in her hands as she stared at the images of the dead patients… what if one of them became Edward at some point? What could she do?

Why did she care?

"You look really stressed, Mum."

Mist blinked before she slowly looked up at her daughter who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen looking at her with concern. Enigma N Terry, her daughter and… his daughter oh dear god. If Edward ever found out about Enigma then-

"I'm fine," Mist smiled as she slowly began to pack away her files and pictures. "Just a little sleep deprived because of this story thats all. Its a tough one. You don't have to worry about me sweetheart."

"My job to worry Ma. There's only the two of us after all," Enigma walked over and looked down at the files. "Would you like me to help? You know I'm really good at finding patterns."

Mist smiled at her daughter. Enigma, why had she called her Enigma? In some ways she guessed it was because she felt like she should honour Edward a little bit. A small reminder and what better then the name Enigma? It suited her daughter there was no denying that.

"I'm not sure, Enigma… this stuff is pretty dark and the images are… a little graphic."

Enigma waved her hand. "Ew. Don't need to know about the images, but I can handle dark writing. I can see if there's a pattern to any of it. Oh BTW theres gonna be a computer sale soon, Wayne Tech too! I gotta ya know get some."

Mist shook her head. "Enigma… how many times… no text speak."

"Oh right yeah, sorry," Enigma smiled sheepishly before she looked over the writing. "Thats not finished."

"What?"

"Here," she pointed at a piece of writing on one of Edward's letters. "That's not finished, that story I mean… in fact it doesn't really seem like a beginning."

Mist blinked before she looked over the note. Not too long ago Edward had sent her a letter with sort of code at the bottom and she'd been unable to figure it out. She discarded it as not being that important but now with what Enigma was saying.

"What do you mean? What does it say?"

"Umm I don't know talking about being the spirit of Amadeus Arkham… talking about wanting to protect Gotham… stop the filthy degenerates of Arkham from destroying Gotham…"

"What was that last bit?" Mist cried as she quickly stood up to look at the same letter Enigma was looking at.

"With the language," Enigma continued. "This is recent, it's not old though the guy is talking about the past as if he was there but, the raising and wording is all wrong for that time period. "

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," Enigma nodded. "Can you not read it?"

Mist shook her head. "Codes were never something I was very good at it, your father is-." she stopped mid sentence and Enigma raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "Was," Mist corrected herself. "Was always very good at codes. Guess you take after him in more ways then one."

"I'm honoured," Enigma smiled before she looked over the writing. "Would you like me to write you down an alphabet for this, so you can work out the rest."

"You're certain there's more?"

"Yeah. Not sure how much more like but… there's definitely more."

Mist smiled before she pulled Enigma in to a side hug. "Oh what I do without you?" she smiled as she kissed the top of her head.

"Oh Mum!" Enigma groaned as she struggled to get away. "I got work to do!"

"You mean your hacking?"

"I don't hack…"

"Enigma I'm not an idiot," Mist gave her a stern look. "I've told you, hacking is dangerous and you can get into serious trouble."

"I won't I'm too good."

"Enigma."

The young girl looked up at her mother who was giving her a stern look and she sighed. "Alright fine… I'll be careful."

A knock at the door startled them both and Mist turned towards it before she looked back at Enigma. "We'll finish this talk later, young lady."

Mist turned on her heel and walked over to the door, opening it up and was greeted by the face of Jack Ryder on the other side of it. He looked concerned for a second before he smiled.

"I came to pick you up. They've found another body."

"He kept this one longer then usual," Mist mused as she looked up at the ceiling before she frowned. "Whats the catch? There's clearly something you're not telling me."

"I got Vicki in the car."

Mist's face went blank and behind her Enigma began to giggle.

"Vicki. Vicki Vale," Mist growled out and Jack sighed.

"Look I know you don't like her-."

"You're damn right I don't like her."

"But she heard about our story and she wants to help."

"Uh huh and how'd she find out, Jack? After a few beers from your end?" Mist growled out as her hand tensed around the door handle.

"No, I told her about it by my own free will, no alcohol involved," Jack sighed and took his glasses off before he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Look… Terry. She's got sources and she's very good at getting people to talk."

"Yeah no doubt when she's slept with them," Mist mumbled under her breath.

"Mist!"

"Oh come on! You have to agree with me on that."

Jack shook his head. "Just be nice."

"I don't have to be nice to that alliterative named bit-."

"Mist!"

She frowned before sighing and leaning against the door. "Did you have to bring her?"

"Yes I did and you're gonna have to suck it up and get in that damn car weather you like it or not."

"Ugh, you sound like my father."

"Well at least one of us sounds like a grown up."

"Oh snap!" Enigma giggled and Mist glared at her, causing the girl to pale and she laughed nervously. "Sorry. It was funny in my head."

"Why don't you like her?" Jack finally asked.

"Because she's annoying and all she cares about is getting the all exclusive in Bruce Wayne's-." she stopped and Jack raised an eyebrow at her. "Bed!" she finally spat.

"I honestly thought you were going to say something else then," Jack muttered.

"Oh believe me, it was in my mind at the time."

They both glared at each other for a long time, with Mist being the one to eventually sigh and pick up her coat and bag. "Fine. But don't blame me if I say something unkind."

"Okay, okay. Fair enough," Jack commented as he stepped backward, letting Mist close the door as she waved to Enigma who waved back at her. "You do still owe me that coffee you know."

"You're not helping yourself by saying that," Mist grounded out as she stormed down the corridor.

"Look just try and be nice."

"Hmm."

"What happened at the Asylum?"

She froze before glancing at him, he seemed concerned but suddenly serious. "What do you mean?" she chocked out as she looked in front of herself again, her hand gripped her bag strap tightly as they walked.

"You've been acting up recently, I want to know whats wrong. Did something happen at Arkham?"

"No! Why would you think that?" she snapped, speeding up her walk as they finally reached the lobby and she pulled the doors to the outside world open and stormed down the steps towards Jack's car. Jack raced after her, a frown clearly written on his features.

"Okay, something obviously happened," he stated but Mist just glared at him before her glare snapped to Vale who was smiling at her.

"Its good to see you again Mist, its been too long!"

"Not long enough," Mist muttered under her breath before she sighed and smiled coldly. "Vicki. Its nice to see you too."

"So where are going then?"

"Arkham," Jack explained as he opened the drivers door, Vicki got in the front much to Mist's annoyance since she was taller then Vicki by miles. Standing at 5ft9, where Vicki only stood at 5ft7. Mist sat slightly curled up in the back as they began to drive off.

"Jacks been telling me about everything that's happened," Vicki explained. "And I will admit, theres been some pretty shifty stuff around Strange, one of my contacts told me that all the patients that go missing are actually Strange's patients."

"Vicki also told me that Hugo Strange has been questioned about this sort of thing before from other hospitals and that sometimes, certain patients at his own private clinic have psychotic breaks for no reason and murder someone and then they're taken to Arkham. Seems pretty convenient don't you think?"

"Hmm," Mist hummed as she continued to stare out of the window.

"Did you get anything from the letters?" asked Vale.

Mist froze and she slowly turned towards the seat in front of her. "What?"

"Jack told me you were a pen pal with the Riddler. As much as I'd never admit it, he's smart so its good that he's helping us."

She felt her eye twitching. "Oh did he?" she growled out before she glared at Jack. "And Nigma's not smart. If he was he wouldn't do what he does."

"Well I think he's quite smart, I just don't agree with what he does."

"Thats good because I'd say you going to Arkham is the best thing for the world if you did agree with him."

"Mist," Jack growled out as he glared.

"I feel like I'm being treated like a little kid at the back here."

"That's because you're acting like a little kid."

"Oh I'm sorry. Am I kicking your seat? I do apologise, it just so happens I'm very tall and my legs are pressed up against the back!"

"Oh god yeah!" Vale turned around apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mist I didn't think."

"Nothing new there then," Mist mumbled before she looked out her window again.

Jack rolled his eyes before he glanced at Vale. "Sorry about her. She's a little shook up after what happened to her at Arkham."

"Oh god.." Vicki's eyes went wide. "Mist what happened?"

"Nothing. But Strange is hiding something, I can tell," Mist concluded as they neared the Asylum.

"Well that explains a lot, I heard he's been trying to push to buy certain parts of Gotham. No one knows why though."

"Maybe he's moving Arkham into Gotham," Jack suggested.

"I don't know. Seems like a stupid idea wouldn't you say? Moving the so called super criminals closer to the innocent of Gotham. How is that a good idea?"

"Well it would be easier for Police to canvas the area."

"What do you think, Mist?"

Mist was still staring out the window. "I think I'd like to hang myself currently."

"Mist!"

"With my ever growing reputation which is now so long I wouldn't be able to hang myself," the car stopped and they got out, Mist still talking. "Due to the fact my feet can touch the ground."

Vicki raised an eyebrow but walked towards the police tape that was glimmering in the distance and Jack came and stood next to Mist a scowl on his face.

"Nice safe," he gritted out, but she could hear the sarcasm.

"I thought it was," Mist agreed making her friend roll his eyes before he began to walk towards the tape too leaving Mist standing near the car as she looked around the Asylum parking ground and found some of the patients were checking out the scene too from a distance. One of them was of course Edward. She shouldn't be surprised but, seeing him standing there with some of the other of Arkham's inhabitance, she recognised a few of them from the news.

Harley Quinn, hands resting on her hips as she popped gum and she actually seemed to be studying the scene with some interest. Edward obviously, Hatter was there too, no one could mistake the little cretin as he stood close to Edward gazing over at the scene too, his eyes lighting up when he saw Vicki. Blondes. Just behind him was Two Face and the inmate from the other day (who she found out was Firefly.) Great White Shark was also with them and finally Killer Moth.

"Another one?" Harley cried as she chewed on her gum. "What the hells going on!?"

"Something very strange indeed," Edward replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh gee, I wonder what the answer to that clue could be?" Two Face snarled and Edward frowned at the sarcasm.

"Yes indeed!" Jervis piped up. "I myself am struggling to know the answer."

"He havin' another episode?" Harley piped up as all of the rogues glanced down at Jervis.

"Who the hell knows," Firefly commented as he shrugged and turned to Drury who was also looking confused at Jervis.

"Still," Harvey turned to Edward and gave him a condescending look. "Not one of your best, Nigma. You loosing your touch?"

"Hardly," Edward snarled as he glared back at Two Face. "I just didn't want to do anything too difficult for you simpletons."

"Pray tell, who is that fair blonde there? Is it Alice? I hope it's Alice!"

"It's not Alice, Jervis. That's Vicki Vale."

"Who?"

"Vicki Vale, Jervis," Drury piped up as he stared down at the small man. "You know, the reporter on the tv?"

"The one who really annoys you."

"It can't be her. She's not on tv!"

Edward face palmed and Two Face rolled his eyes, with Garfield shaking his head.

"Yeah, he's havin' an episode," Harley concluded."

"Wow, Quinzel. What was your first clue?"

"Save it Shark or else I'll pull your teeth out!"

"Violent as ever. That's always good to see. Speaking of, I have a rocket launcher on the market at the moment," Shark pulled out a small red book, pencil slipping out of the gap in the spine. "Could I maybe interest you in it?"

"How much it gonna be Shark?"

"We will talk cost later on, too many eyes here," he glanced around before he turned to Harley. "Shall I pencil you in for it?"

"Yeah sure, no doubt I can afford it."

"Hey wait a minute!"

"Sorry, Lynns. Harley's already ordered," Shark said as he wrote down Harley's name in his little red book.

Garfield rolled his eyes. "Not that, idiot! That woman there… is that… hell yeah it is! Thats the smokin' hot guard I saw yesterday."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "She's mine. Back off."

"Oh yeah and why'd the hell she go for a guy like you? Chicks-."

"'Dig the scars', we know!"

"Better question would be," Two Face spoke as he fully turned towards Edward. "Is why do you want her? This isn't what you usually do when it comes to women, especially reporters."

"Yeah, Riddles! What's the change?"

"None of your business, you idiotic psychopaths. I have my reasons and all you should know or care about is that you are not to go near her."

"Oh my!" Jervis grinned as he clapped his hands together and jumped round to face the group. "Has the Dormouse found his Alice?!"

Everyone stared at him quietly, blinking at him as Jervis continued to stand there smiling brightly with big eyes.

"Told ya," Harley spoke up as she popped her gum. "He's havin' an episode."

Garfield nodded in agreement. "Ya can say that again."

Edward rolled his eyes before he looked over at Mist who was staring at the body, leaving Vicki and Jack to the interviews, she couldn't concentrate not with Edward watching her.

She sighed and glanced over at the small group of rogues, her emerald eyes scanning them all before they finally met Edward's blue as he equally stared back at her.

Eventually Jack and Vale turned around and walked back to her.

"They're not talking," Jack muttered as he reached Mist who wasn't really paying him any attention.

He raised an eyebrow when she didn't reply and glanced over at where Mist was looking only to see the group of rogues, but more importantly he spotted Edward.

"Come on, Mist," he hissed as he glared at Edward and directed Mist's attention towards the car. "Lets go. There's nothing for us here."

Edward narrowed his eyes as they left. So he wanted to play that game did he?

"Careful Mister Ryder. Lord knows its bad to get in the way of a rogues game."

"Ya know talking to yourself is one of the first signs that you're going crazy."

"Shut up, Harley."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Next chapter! Yeah Mist is not a fan of Vicki Vale, XD sorry to all Vale fans out there, I'm not really big on her character either and I have noticed that generally all of the rogues hate her and since Mist is probably... less then normal I think we can all agree on that, it kinda fit with her personality that she wouldn't be fond of Vicki Vale.**

 **Anyway, seems like Jack suspects Mist of something, who knows what it could be. Guess we'll find out in later chapters.**

 **Anyway thank you guys for the support, hope you enjoy this chapter, there will be more to come very soon. If you guys like this story then check out Arkham Life, another one of my stories. Also I do have more OCs... like hundreds more, well thats over exaggerating it, I have a lot anyway. So question would you guys be interested in seeing more origin stories of my other characters? Just let me know in reviews. :)**

 **See ya in the next chapter then guys! :D**


	7. Chapter 7 Past is the past

Past is the past.

* * *

The incident at Arkham had been a few weeks past and since then, Jack had been acting strange around Mist and she'd noticed. She never asked about it, just shrugged it off as nerves, but deep down she guessed something was wrong, something was very wrong.

She stood in the bathroom of her work place, washing her hands as she stared down at the them as the water ran through and around her fingers.

She paused in her task at the sound of laughter.

Her spine went rigid and she looked around the room, only to find herself to be the only one there.

"Hello?" she called in case she'd missed them or hadn't noticed anyone.

All that she got in reply was laughter again, it seemed to come from the end cubical before it slowly disappeared from her hearing.

Mist swallowed and slowly walked over to the door or the last toilet, reaching it she was quiet before she slammed it open only to be greeted by nothing there at all.

Mist breathed and shook her head before she turned to go back only to freeze dead in her tracks to see a little girl, hair long and hung over her eyes, her dress was dripping wet in fact all of her was dripping wet and it dripped onto the floor, creating a small puddle where she stood. Mist slowly looked her up and down and noticed weeds and algee hanging from her hair as she stood in front of Mist.

"H- hello?"

She tried to step forward but fear was stopping her movement as she stared at the little girl who seemed to be swaying slightly and humming a tune, completely ignoring Mist.

"Hello?!" she demanded as she narrowed her eyes at the child in front of her.

The child suddenly stopped swaying and humming. Instead she slowly looked up at Mist through her hair and Mist felt her blood run cold as she saw the various scratches on her face and the blood soaked clothing she was wearing as well as the water running down her face, but it was her eyes, they were bulging out of the child's socket, white and water logged. It was a clear indication that she'd drowned, but that wasn't the thing that was creeping Mist out it was the fact she knew who the girl was.

"No…" she whispered. "It's impossible…"

"Why didn't you save me?"

Such a simple question but it brought so many unpleasant feelings and memories that Mist would rather forget.

"You said you'd always look after me, Mist, because that's what big sister do. Why didn't you save me?!"

Slowly the lights began to go out as the girl began to walk towards Mist.

"Why didn't you save me?!"

"I tried.. I tried.. oh god.." Mist pressed herself against the wall as her sister's dead corpse continued to walk towards her. "Please.. please.. I'm sorry, I am so sorry…"

"You didn't save me," the girl repeated as she got closer the lights were almost out, she was only three stalls away from Mist now.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry…" Mist wailed as she began to slide down the wall still staring up at the figure in front of her as she reached the floor, back still pressed against the wall. "I tried! Chloe, I'm sorry!"

"You're a murderer."

"No… no…" Mist shook her head as she curled up in on herself. "No I didn't kill you, I'm sorry, you fell in!"

"You didn't save me, you murdered me."

"No.."

"Murderer, murderer, murderer, murderer, murderer!"

The lights were almost all out, the only one still on was the one that hung over Mist's head as she began to cry and deny the accusations, but the voices got louder and louder and they all said one word; murderer.

"No.. no.. shut up!" Mist snarled before she could also hear laughter. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"

Everything suddenly went silent.

Mist peaked through her fingers and looked around before she slowly stood up. The lights were all on, her sister was gone and everything was silent again.

Mist swallowed and looked at herself in the mirror only to see a twisted mirror image of herself, laughing before it smirked at her.

She screamed and fell to the floor before slowly crawling to the edge of the sink and slowly pulled herself up to see the that the reflection was back to normal, just a scared young woman staring back at her in fear.

She breathed and slowly stood up, quickly walking, almost running out of the bathroom and not looking where she was going as she ran into Jack.

"Ah! Damn it Mist!"

"Ah! Oh god!"

Jack looked startled at Mist's reaction and he frowned. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Mist started to back peddle away from him. "I'm fine.. I just.. I need to go!"

Jack span around as Mist ran past him.

She ran to the car park and quickly got in her car, starting the engine up, before looking in the back mirror and being treated by the twisted version of herself again who grinned and chuckled slightly.

She whipped her head to the back seat only to find nothing there, before looking back at the back mirror and again only seeing her self and the empty back seat reflected in it.

She swallowed and shook her head before pulling out of the car park, driving through the streets, her fingers were clamped around the steering wheel, knuckles white as she continued on her way.

She soon found herself at Arkham Asylum, walking up to the receptionist on the way.

"I'm here to see Edward Nigma please."

"What's your relation to the patient?"

"I'm… an old friend."

The receptionist seemed shocked but she called for a guard to lead her to the visitors centre anyway.

Mist sat quietly in the seat, waiting in the dusty and almost forgotten part of the asylum. She supposed once anyone ended up in Arkham, their family wanted to cut all ties with them, including visiting them. Or, in cases like Scarecrow, they'd killed most of their family off.

She watched from behind the glass as Edward was lead and sat down in front of her.

"20 minutes, no more."

Mist nodded and whispered a small thank you before she looked at Edward who frowned at her.

"Not that seeing you isn't always a pleasure… but what are you doing here? You look-."

"Like I've seen a ghost, yes I'm aware, thank you."

"Well I know it can't be me, I'm very much alive," Edward frowned before he rested his chin on top of his folded hands. "So you obviously saw something else."

"I saw her, Edward," Mist whispered as she looked up at him and he raised an eyebrow in response. "I saw my sister, Chloe."

This seemed to surprise him. His eyebrows shot up into his hair line and he sat back in confusion. "Mist… your sister… she died."

"I know," Mist rubbed her eyes. "But I saw her, she was standing right in front of me, she even spoke to me.. she looked like she'd just climbed out of the river herself and she was standing right there. The she just disappeared."

"And you came to me because..?"

"You're the only one who understands!" she yelled before calming herself. "You're the only one who knows.. about her.."

"Oh?" Edward crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "And what about your little reporter friend?"

"What?"

"Ryder! Jack Ryder! Why don't you go crying to him."

"Are you jealous?" Mist snapped before she shook her head. "Edward, please. Can you just listen to me! I'm seeing my dead sister, I shouldn't be seeing that sort of thing. No one should."

"You really saw her?"

She nodded.

"I think you need to see someone about that," he sighed. "But considering what we know about this place, I wouldn't suggest going here for help. You'll probably only end up crazy."

"You haven't heard anything else have you?" Mist whispered as she looked up at him. "You haven't heard anything about Strange?"

Edward was silent for a moment before he looked back at the guard and then looked back at Mist. "To answer your question, you need the help of someone special, only with him can you truly be expected to _rat_ out the truth."

Mist frowned at him before the guard came over.

"Okay, times up," he growled out as he reached down and pulled Edward up, walking him out of the room, leaving Mist sitting down in the empty room.

She stood up quietly so not to disturb the silence and left the building, not noticing Jack's contact, Officer Andrews watching her with a slightly shocked expression on his face before he frowned and went towards the guard shelter.

He looked around before he pulled out his cell phone and quickly began to ring Ryder.

"Hello?"

"Mister Ryder… I.. its me."

"Mister Andrews? Aren't you still working at this time?"

"I am… that's why I need to be quick but, I saw Mist. She was here and… she was talking with the Riddler."

"What?!" Jack sounded shocked, angry, confused but most of all concerned.

"I don't know what they were talking about but, Mist looked concerned when she got out and… Riddler kinda did too but.. I doubt it was genuine."

"Wait.. Mist went to see the Riddler? Specifically?"

"Yes," Officer Andrews looked around before he sighed and quickly hissed. "I gotta go now, I'll attract too much attention."

He hung up quickly before stepping out of the guard tower and returning to his sweeps of the grounds.

"Officer Andrews."

He froze and turned his head to see Hugo Strange standing on the walkway to the guard tower, hands clasped firmly behind his back.

"Professor Strange?" the young guard gulped before he tried to force himself to relax. "Is there something I can help you with Sir?"

"Oh no," Strange shook his head. "I was simply taking a walk around the grounds when I noticed that you were not at your designated post. Are you quite well?"

"Oh, yes. Sorry Sir.. my ah," he frowned before shuffling nervously with his gun. "My sister called. She's been a bit unwell actually so.. she's staying round at my place. I'm looking after her."

"How kind of you," Strange smiled, all teeth. "Is she alright?"

"Yes.. she ah.. couldn't find the butter, so she was just calling to ask where it is."

"I see," his expression became serious. "But may I remind you that if you leave your post you may in fact be risking the safety of Gotham. These patients may be sick, but they are smart," he turned his back on Andrews and looked up at the penatentry to see Riddler being led inside. A sick smile graced Strange's face. "Oh yes, they are very smart indeed."

With that said he walked away from Andrews calling behind him. "I do hope your sister gets better soon."

* * *

Jack sat quietly in at his desk as he stared at his phone in front of him. He.. surly he didn't just hear that? Mist had gone to see the Riddler? And after what she looked like when she ran into him and then suddenly left. What the hell was going on? There was just something off with the whole thing… what had Andrews said to him the first time?

'Ancient history.'

Seemed ancient history was coming to the surface and obviously Mist didn't want him to know about it or any of it.

He looked up at the computer and tapped in a few letters into the search engine.

Unsurprisingly, he found what he was looking for very quickly. The one good thing with Mist's name was… it was so unique and made things like news reports easy to find.

He couldn't do this on his own… he knew that so…

Jack sighed and picked up his phone again, dealing Vicki Vale's number.

It rang for a few seconds before being picked up.

"Hey Jack, what's wrong?"

"Hey.. look.. I need your help with something…"

"Is it to do with the case?"

"No.. maybe… I don't know it's just.." he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I need you to find out all you can about Mist."

"Mist?" Vale sounded surprised. "Why what's wrong? You don't think she's in on it do you?"

"No. It's just," he rubbed his eyes and pulled his glasses from his face. "I think she's connected to the Riddler in some way."

"What?!"

"I know, I know, but honestly there has been too many strange things happening between those two… to the point where well…" he looked up at the computer screen and clinked on one of the news articles about a science project Mist had won with another student, an Edward Nashton. Jack narrowed his eyes at the name before muttering back down the phone. "It seems like there's a lot of ancient history between them."

"Okay Jack.. I'll see if any of my friends at the Daily Planet can tell me something about her too, she had her intern there didn't she?"

"I believe so…" he muttered back as he scrolled down the article. "Come round my apartment tonight, at around 6ish shall we say, bring whatever it is you've found."

"Not a problem… Jack. I hope you're wrong about this."

"So do I."

* * *

Mist sat quietly in her home, Enigma was staying round at a friends house and Mist was secretly grateful for that. After today, she didn't really feel like talking or seeing anyone at all, too many old memories were running through her head, things she'd rather forget and not dwell on.

She remembered everything though and it was a curse to her. Most recently though, she was starting to remember everything that had happened between herself and Edward when they were younger, how they first met, how she always protected him from every bully there was, how she tried to patch him up after his father beat him, their first date, their fist kiss… their first time. Everything.

Slowly she got to her feet and decided a shower would help clear her head, help her focus on the story she was supposed to be writing about.

She walked into the bathroom and let her clothes slip off her body, before she turned on the shower and let the hot water steam up the room before she climbed in when she deemed it warm enough.

As she stood, her eyes closed and letting the warm water run over her body, she pushed her hair back over her head as she sighed and let the warm water soak into her joints making them relax and she took a deep breath.

It was in this moment that an old memory flashed up in her mind, one with her and Edward when they were just teenagers, late teens anyway, 17 going on 18.

It was an odd time, Edward was studying and Mist had been but she was bored so… she decided to spice things up a bit.

* * *

 _They lay on the bed together, well Mist was lying down Edward was sat up, his head buried deep within a biology book trying to remember every little bit of it._

 _Mist on the other hand was bored. They'd been revising and studying for about two hours now, once it got to almost being three she decided to stop and just relax, but Edward was still studying so it made the whole thing quite boring._

" _Hmmm," she sighed hand thrown up to rest over her forehead._

 _Edward continued to read his book and flipped the page over to the next chapter._

" _Hmmm!" she sighed a little louder this time and he still continued to read and ignore her, eyes scanning over the text at lightning speed you wouldn't think he was actually getting any information in his head, but he was._

" _HMMM!"_

" _What?!" he snapped, slamming his book closed and glaring at her slightly but Mist just laughed. Oh adorable Eddie, trying to look annoyed when in truth to her he just kinda looked cute._

" _I'm bored," she explained as she tilted her head slightly and stared up at him._

" _Well, read a book then."_

" _I've been reading books for two hours, Edward. I think we can stop for a bit," Mist moaned as she looked up at him through her lashes._

 _He didn't look convinced and instead went back to reading._

" _What do you want to do then?" he asked as he flipped another page over._

 _She suddenly rose and gabbed the book, yanking out of his hands and throwing it over her shoulder before she suddenly crawled on top of a very startled Edward Nashton._

" _Mist?!" he shrieked as he stared at the girl in front of him and she grinned at him as a light blush fell across his face._

" _Yes?"_

" _What are you doing?!" he questioned as his eyes darted around in confusion._

" _What does it look like?" she teased as she leaned up and ran her hands over his chest._

" _I… it looks.. well you know what it looks like!" he snapped before he pulled himself up and away from her. "But why?"_

" _Why do you think?" she asked with a raised eyebrow as she leaned up and kissed him, noting how he suddenly held his breath and squeaked slightly when she kissed him so suddenly._

 _She pulled away and looked at the shocked and blushing face of the boy she had fallen for and she smiled gently at him._

" _If you're not comfortable with this yet we don't have to do it, it's fine," she cupped his face with her hand and smiled. "I just thought we'd been going out for about two months now, I figured you'd be ready is all."_

" _I.. I want to it's just…" he trailed off and looked away, this time she could see anguish and pain written across his face._

" _It's just what?" she coaxed as she sat up and brushed his hair back slightly._

" _The scars," he choked as he bowed his head. "I.. I don't want you to see the scars."_

 _Mist smiled and reached over switching the light off and putting them in pitch blackness._

" _There," she smiled through the dark and felt him relax a little, before she leaned closer and just hovered over his lips whispering. "Now I can't see your scars."_

 _And in her head she secretly thought; and now you can't see mine._

* * *

Mist took a deep breath as she replayed the memory in her head. That was such a long time ago now, she didn't really feel that remembering it would be a good thing. Especially now, especially when he was such a bad.. bad man. He was evil, he was a monster, he was sick, he was… broken.

Mist clenched her fists as she leaned them against the tiles of her bathroom.

Edward was a broken person, broken by years of child neglect and abuse. She'd tried to help but… well, all you needed to do as a parent from a young age was withhold affection and constantly criticise your child and they would develop a mental disorder.

In truth, she supposed, Edward never stood a chance, he was doomed from the start of his life to be broken.

Could she fix him?

"Don't be stupid, Mist," she muttered to herself as she turned off the water and pulled the curtain back, stepping out and grabbing her towel, beginning to dry herself off. "You couldn't fix him, you still can't. Remember why you left him in the end? When you discovered you were pregnant you left him because he was becoming obsessive with you. Even accused you of cheating overtime you were two minutes late from work."

She wrapped the towel around her and wandered into her bedroom, slipping on her nightshirt as she folded the towel up, looking around the room.

"But you did honer him in some way, by naming your daughter Enigma. But it's over you're never getting that life back again," she slid under the covers and flipped her bedside light off, curling up in her bed, she closed her eyes and whispered to herself. "Past is the past."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: So... a little bit of an insight into Mist's past. You shall find out more in the next chapter, but I hope you guys enjoy this one. Another of my OCs will** **appear in the next chapter if I remember properly.**

 **Anyway, enjoy this one, reviews are always welcomed and if you are interested in my OCs, take a look at another one of my stories Arkham Life or Stop me if you've heard this one before. Both contain a lot more of my OCs.**


	8. Chapter 8 Legacy

Legacy.

* * *

Enigma N Terry only had one friend at her school. Most of the other kids thought she was weird or too smart for her own good, which was possible true.

But her friend didn't really fit in either.

Victor Eaton, son of Charles and Abigail Eaton was part of one of the wealthiest families in Gotham. The only reason was because of their vast knowledge in electronics and their advancing in it to make clean, healthy energy for Gotham. Eaton Electricals may not be as old as Wayne Enterprises but it had done well to rise as far as it had, considering the many competitors it had, Wayne Enterprises, Ammerteck, Lexcorp and Queen Industries were just a few of the many companies that had been based for a long time that had posed a very series threat when the company first started running, but they'd pulled through and specialised in their own type of electricity and storing it.

Victor didn't fit in at school, simply because everyone was intimidated or jealous of his wealth, either way it didn't end well for him.

But Enigma had been brave enough to talk to him and the two became the best of friends, with both of them taking a liking in science.

"It's great," Victor cried as he finished explaining and showing Enigma the simulation of the experiment they were going to perform at his father's company. A new way to harness electricity for sea animals that naturally give of the electricity anyway, but also to study their body and how they didn't electrocute themselves under water. It was so they wouldn't have to put plastic coating around the wires that went underwater and give them a natural and more organic way to protect the electricity but also the animals and wildlife that would be around them. "Hopefully it will work, my father is going to perform an experiment in about two weeks now."

Enigma grinned. "That's amazing. Would it be too much to ask if I could come and watch?"

"I was going to ask you anyway," Victor grinned before he looked back at his i-pad. "But just think about it, E! Power cables that are organically waterproof. We wouldn't need big factories to create the plastic or rubber coating we'd just need a lab to grow it. That way, even less damage to the environment."

"I imagine even Poison Ivy is backing your work," Enigma laughed as she sat cross legged on his bed with him as he smirked back at her.

"Heh, yeah maybe she is. But this is amazing and such a big leap into science. Organic electricity!"

"It is a great idea, but what happens if the fish want to eat it?"

"We have an idea. We're going to put a flavour in that the fish won't like, we've managed to synthesise the taste of rubber and fish hate it. That way they won't eat the organic material."

"That is brilliant," Enigma grinned before she pulled out her note book and flipped it open to the page she was still trying to deliver what the code was. "Do you think you could give me a hand with this?"

"What is it?" he asked as he put his i-pad down and scooted closer to have a look.

"Its a code. Part of my mum's story she's working on. She can't crack it and I'm starting to have a bit of difficulty."

"A code?" Victor seemed confused. "Why's it in a circle."

"Don't know," Enigma shrugged. "What I don't get is the scarab in the middle. I mean I know it's a symbol in Egyptian hieroglyphs and it's also the face of a god but that's it."

Victor looked closely before he frowned. "I've seen this before," he muttered as he stood up and quickly ran to his book shelf, searching through the books before he found the one he was looking for.

"Here we go, in architecture of Gotham City," he flipped the book open and searched through the pages. "There, found it," he smiled and showed Enigma the page.

"Arkham Asylum?" she frowned and raised an eyebrow before looking up at Victor who shrugged and pulled the book towards him and began to read.

"Cyrus Pinkny designed and created the architecture for Arkham Asylum, for the criminaly insane. Pinkny was a good friend to Amadeus Arkham and designed the Asylum how his friend instructed it. He also decorated many parts of the mansion with a scarab as well as many other parts of the Asylum too. It was unclear as to why, but Amadeus demanded to have the scarab as his symbol. Later when Amadeus became mentally unbalanced, Pinkny did one last design for his friend and made him his very own cell, complete with a metal scarab over the opening to the cell itself. Amadeus was repeatedly found writing in circles on the floor and around any clear space of his cell. He stayed there until he died and it was around this time that Cyrus Pinkny disappeared."

"So Amadeus Arkham started this whole thing?" Enigma looked down at the writing before her. "But that doesn't make any sense."

"Does it have to? He was crazy."

"No, not that. That makes perfect sense. I mean this," she pointed to the photo of the circular inscription with the scarab in the middle of it. "Some of the words I have decoded.. they wouldn't be around in his time period, they're new. In fact, this isn't finished, the way he ends this… it's not finished there's more."

"So you're saying that some other crazy person in Arkham believes himself to be Amadeus Arkham?" Victor paused before he shook his head. "That's messed up!"

"You're telling me," she sighed and pushed her glasses up her nose. "I'll tell my mum this tomorrow."

"You might want to write it down so you don't forget," Victor suggested as he handed her the book, but she shook her head.

"I won't forget, I can't. I have an eidetic memory, though," she sighed and turned away. "There are things I'd like to forget but also things I'd like to know."

"Like what?"

"Who my father is," Enigma muttered as she pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. "I still don't know who he is."

"Has she not told you?"

"All she tells me is the same old same old. He was a troubled man, he was brilliant but had issues, he was one of the best people she'd ever met but was troubled by a bad childhood."

Victor frowned slightly before he turned back to his i-pad before he picked it up. "She hasn't said anything else?"

"Well…" Enigma frowned slightly. "I asked her last week and… she said my father was in my name."

"Enigma?" Victor frowned. "Your name? What's she saying, that your dad liked enigmas or puzzles or-"

"Riddles," Enigma whispered as her eyes widened.

Victor looked confused for moment before his own eyes widened. "You don't think… Enigma that's impossible!"

"Is it?" she turned to him. "She's never said that before, not until recently after she's been to Arkham."

They both stared at each other for a moment.

"Internet?"

"Internet."

They huddled closer as Victor opened up the search engine, typing in the name as they waited to see what would happen.

* * *

Jack waited patiently in his apartment, taking a gentle sip of his drink as he flicked through the various news reports on Mist. Most of them were to do with school, but all of them had one thing in common. They always had this Edward Nashton with her as. Most of the time it was to do with some sort of science project, a few had something to do with chess games, that they would usually end up drawing against each other. A few even showed Mist winning at many sports, weather it be running, ice skating, acrobatics, running, kick boxing and karate were just a few of the sports Mist had iced at. It seemed that she would try to ace at whatever she could get her hands on and wouldn't stop until she could do it perfectly.

A knock at the door brought his attention and he walked over, opening the door to see Vicki on the other side.

"Hey," she greeted and he nodded.

"Did you manage to find anything?"

She nodded. "Yeah, according to my friends at the Daily Planet and well, they said she was a very private person, didn't like talking much about her past. She did have Enigma at that point but she was obviously a lot younger. Enigma had to come to work sometimes because Mist couldn't get anyone to look after her. Apparently she doesn't have a good relationship with her parents."

"Makes sense," Jack muttered as he closed the door and showed her to the kitchen where his computer was up. "She hasn't mentioned them to me, or even talks about them. Also in all her school pictures of when she wins something her parents are never in the photo, even when its of things that happen outside of school, its always just this… Edward Nashton."

Vicki raised an eyebrow. "Edward Nashton?" she looked over at the image of the two of them at their science project together. "They look very happy."

"They're always together in every single picture. Mist is a very driven person it seems, but if her parents weren't paying her any attention she was probably trying to be a master at everything just to try and get some attention. Looks like it never worked."

"That's sad," Vicki whispered before she frowned, "Wait, what's that one?"

Jack paused on the earliest one, the last news report from when Mist was a kid and once Jack began to read it out loud, both Jack and Vicki were shocked.

"Yesterday at 2:20 in the afternoon, the body of 6 year old Chloe Terry was found dead washed up on a river bed near a popular children's play spot. Chloe Terry and her older sister Mist Terry (aged 10) were playing hide and seek in the popular play place, but when Chloe was hiding she slipped into the river and was swept away down stream. Her sister Mist tried to save her, but she was unable to reach her. She followed her sister down the river until she disappeared under the water. Mist reportedly told police that as she tried to save her sister all she could hear was her sister screaming for her help and for her to save her. Our thoughts are with the parents and family of Chloe Terry."

"Her sister died in front of her?" Vicki whispered as she glanced at Jack who seemed just as shocked as she was.

"That's bound to of had some form of effect on her," Jack muttered as he began to scroll up again.

"Wait, wait! There."

"Local girl placed in psychiatric hospital after schizophrenic break?" Jack whispered as he read the small headline. "Local girl, Mist Terry (aged 13) was placed into Clear Mind Mental Hospital after a schizophrenic break that caused her to injure herself and her mother in the process. Kathryn Terry was injured when she tried to stop her daughter, Mist, from hurting herself, gaining harsh gashes along her arms in process as she tried to stop her daughter who was having a schizophrenic break at he time, who is believed to have been fighting off some sort of monster, injured her mother in the process. Her parents believe that this mental breakdown may have been triggered by the death of her sister which happened 4 years ago now, in which Mist witnessed the whole thing. Apparently the girl did receive psychiatric help after the incident but was reportedly pulled out of her sessions after trouble at home."

They were both silent for a moment.

"She suffers from schizophrenia?"

"No, I don't think she does, look," Jack pointed at the next article. "Schizophrenic scandal. Mist Terry (age 13) was placed in Clear Mind mental hospital after a schizophrenic break. But this was all false. It wasn't Mist who had the break but in fact her mother. Her mental collapse was brought about by the death of her second daughter Chloe Terry, who drowned in a river 4 years ago. It is believed that the mother attacked Mist and she tried to defend herself but her mother called the police claiming that Mist was the one who had tried to hurt herself and that her mother had tried to stop her. Kathryn Terry, mother of Mist Terry, has now been placed in Clear Mind mental hospital and her daughter has now been released and is back in school."

"What sort of a mother does that to her own child?" Vicki cried disgusted as she narrowed her eyes at the picture of the one in question.

"A sick one," Jack responded. "But none of this explains why the sudden connection with the Riddler."

"Maybe you got it wrong, maybe there's nothing going on?"

"Hold that thought," Jack muttered as he landed on an article. "Puzzle contest won by Edward Nashton, with his best friend Mist Terry coming in a close second. The winner, Edward Nashton, won a $20 cash prize as well as a puzzle book, with Mist winning a riddle book for coming second."

Jack was quiet. "Wasn't the Riddler once the head of the Cyber Crime unit at the GCPD 8 years ago?"

"Yes he was…" Vicki trailed off. "But there's no record of an Edward Nigma working there."

"What about an Edward Nashton?"

She was silent and had a look of pure dread on her face. "I think there might of been."

"I think that," he pointed at the picture of the young smiling 13 year old boy with his prize and the completed puzzle in hand. "Is our Riddler. Mist's old friend, Edward Nashton."

"But what about Enigma? It seems a little odd that she would call her daughter that if she didn't feel a little bit of fondness for him still… either that or…"

"Enigma is his daughter."

* * *

"I'm the Riddler's daughter!" Enigma screamed as she she shot up and stared in utter horror at the realisation.

Victor flinched at her outburst and frowned. "You don't know that for definite."

"But it makes so much sense, too much sense!" Enigma placed her head in her hands. "What am I going to do? I'm the daughter to a super villain!"

"The only people who that are you, me and your mum. No one else, not even your… dad knows that you exist."

Enigma's glare turned icy and Victor gulped as her eyes went cold. She didn't know it, but she had her father's eye and as if they came in a package, she had her father's glare as well.

"Don't ever… say that again. That man is _not_ my father! He was never there!"

"Didn't you say that your mum left him though?"

"With good reason, considering what he is now!"

"What he is now," Victor repeated. "He wasn't always a bad guy, E. He must of been a good person at some point."

She sighed and put her head in her hands once again. "I've always dreamed about knowing who he was… and now I know… I wish I didn't."

"Oh c'mob Enigma, so you're the daughter to the Riddler, he doesn't know and you don't have to tell him, its not like you're his legacy or something."

"Maybe I am."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: So Enigma Terry and Victor Eaton, what did you guys think of them?  
Yeah no Mist this time, but I thought I would have a chapter simply dedicated to finding out about her and also more on Enigma too. Plus, Victor will be a re-occuring character as this is not the last we shall see of him and he will appear in later chapters, but I would keep a special eye on him.  
Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Reviews and faves are welcome :)  
See ya in chapter 9!**


	9. Chapter 9 Wanna hear a joke?

Wanna hear a joke?

* * *

Edward sat quietly in Arkham, pushing the food around with his fork as he thought about the events that had recently happened. Was Mist going crazy? That would be disappointing if that was the case, a much wasted intelligence if that was the case, she had always shown so much promise. Truly his equal in intelligence, the only person who had ever been able to draw with him at chess.

He sighed and frowned at the prospect of his true equal going crazy, it was a predicament he didn't want to be true.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite riddle lover! Long time, no see Eddie my boy, it's been too long!"

Edward froze before he slowly looked up at the grinning mad man himself, Joker stood in front of him, tray in hand with the sorry excuse they called food, grinning from ear to ear.

Edward narrowed his eyes at the clown. "Not long enough," he growled out.

Joker pouted in mock hurt. "Oh, Eddie! You'll hurt my feelings saying things like that."

"You say that like I should care."

"Eddie, Eddie, Eddie! You kidder you!" Joker grinned as he sat down in front of him much to Edward's dislike. "You say that so seriously it almost sounds like you mean it. But I know the truth, you and I; best buds for life!"

Deciding that the best thing to do would be to ignore the mass murdering clown, Edward went back to pushing the food around his tray as he tried to think of ways in which to help Mist with her current problem.

"Ya know something Nigma, when you act like a moody teenager with your crazy hormones, your neck looks twice as strangle-able then it usually does! I'm starting to see why you go around signposting yourself!"

Edward's head bolted up to the clown who smiled innocently at him.

"Alright, fine. You have my attention you bumbling maniac, but be quick about it! I'm a very busy man."

Joker raised eyebrow as he looked down at the tray Edward was still pushing the food around. "Yeah, you look busy. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. Speaking of shoes, ya seen Croc anywhere?"

"Joker!" Edward snapped. "I know it may be hard for your brain to do it, but could you at least try to concentrate."

"There is no try, only do," Joker quoted with a grin. "And I'm gonna do the thing I'm good at, and no it's not the Irish river dance, though I am very good at that. It's these long limbs of mine ya know. They make me an exceptional dancer!"

Edward rubbed his temples. Talking with Joker was always hard, not to mention mind numbing.

"Okay, okay!" Joker rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, some would think you've been taking lessons from Scarecrow, lighten up Riddles! It won't kill ya. Then again…" Joker grinned before he began to chuckle quietly at the back of his throat.

"Is there some point to you bothering me or are you just doing it because you can?"

"Well I think a smart guy like you knows the answer to that," the clown chuckled before he leaned back and stretched his arms out. "But, there is a reason I came to talk to you. I'm arranging a little surprise party for our favourite vigilante."

Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Ya know, tall, dark and batty? Likes to punch you in the face and call it justice?"

"I know who you meant!"

"Oh sorry," Joker smirked. "You just had this vacant look on your face," he waved his hand in front of him before he smirked. "And I should know what a vacant look, looks like, I mean I see it on Harley most of the time. Usually when I ask her to do simple maths. But besides the point, my plan is a very simple one," Joker smirked. "In fact it's so simple that I'm certain even you can get it."

"And the plan is..?" Edward growled out, trying to keep himself calm, knowing that Joker was just trying to annoy him and gain a reaction.

"Take over Arkham," Joker said it so flippantly that Edward almost choaked on the food he was trying to eat.

"What?"

"Are you hard of hearing or something? You may want to get that checked out. I said we are going to take over Arkham, I mean lets be honest we kinda run this joint already, we just like to humour the staff. I know I do. Speaking of humour or creeping the staff out, nice job on freaking out Young with that riddle, Eddie."

"Thank you."

"But ya see, the thing is, is I really want you to be there for the surprise party," Joker explained as he took a bite of the food. "It just wouldn't be the same without you!"

"Of course it wouldn't. I am the Riddler, the greatest criminal mastermind there is."

Joker grinned. "That you are, Eddie. But so long as we're on the subject of the staff… what's going on with good old Sharpie? He's been acting a little strange recently. Which if it's coming from my perspective, it ought to raise a few eyebrows don't ya think?"

"What makes you think I know anything."

Joker tutted and wagged his finger at him, a smile stretching across his face. "Ah, ah, ahh! I know you Eddie. You're the king of secrets. If anyone knows a dark, dirty little secret on the staff, its gonna be you."

"What if I don't want to share it?"

"You like living don't you?" Joker smiled as he laid his hands flat on the table so he would be ready to pounce over it if he needed to. "I was just wandering because you seem to have a death wish at the moment. I mean, if death is what you want I'd be more then happy to oblige. Finally get to strangle that oh so strangle-able neck of yours. How'd ya like it? Rope? Belt? Coat hanger? Rubber chicken? Or the good old fashioned way, simply my hands wrapped around that throat of yours?"

"Neither of the above."

"Oh, so you'd like to battered to death? That's fine by me, get me a crowbar and we'd be in business. They are very effective… I've learnt from past experience…" Joker cackled as if he'd remembered something he found particularly funny and that could range from anything and quite frankly Edward didn't want to know. "Give it the old heave-ho and swing… ka-bang!"

"Yes something is going on with Sharp… something to do with Strange," Edward muttered, knowing full well that now… Joker wasn't joking.

"Ohh… Hugo our delightful delusional Doctor. I'm so proud of him!"

"Wait.. how long have you known that he's insane?"

"Takes one to know one Eddie. But the man practically screams insanity, torture and sadism. Just another fish in the crazy pond. Surprised yourself didn't realise before I did, you're usually so very good at that. But then again, you have been distracted by this mysterious third party you've been writing to."

"What?!" Edward paled. "How do you-?!"

"Harley overheard you and good Doctor talking. If you want to have a private conversation, try doing it out of range of the biggest blabber mouth in Arkham, pro tip," Joker made the okay symbol with his fingers before he giggled. "So who is this mysterious writer?"

"None of your business."

"Hehehe.. now Eddie…" Joker looked up, smile on his face but all joking gone. "I've been very patient, a remarkable feat for me, but there's nothing stopping me at the moment from sticking this pen down your throat as I play owe to joy with your vocal cords. Now… the mysterious writer if you please." As if to prove his point he put his hand under the table and rested his chin in his hands, smiling 'pleasantly' at Edward as he waited for an answer.

Edward gulped. "Blast from my past, the joy she brought to me was too good to last. Who am I?"

Joker slowly let a grin curl up onto his face as he tapped his fingers against his cheek. "You and you're riddles Eddie…" he chided before he pulled his hand out quickly from under the table and Edward flinched, eyes screwed shut as he awaited possibly certain death but all there was, was laughter.

He slowly opened his eyes to see Joker simply pointing his finger at him like a gun, giggling.

"Sike! Shoulda seen the look on your face! Priceless!" he slowly lowered his hand and folded both hands under his chin as he leaned across the table. "I will figure it out eventually Eddie, I just thought you'd save your dear uncle J the trouble."

"Clearly you thought wrong."

"Hmm… seems I did. Oh wait, hey! Spooky it hasn't been the same without ya'! Come give me a hug!" Joker cried, arms outstretched as he looked just behind Edward, who followed his gaze only to see a badly beaten up Jonathan Crane walking towards them.

"What happened to you?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow as he took in his friends shape.

"Batman happened," Crane muttered as he took a seat next to Edward before glaring at the clown. "And what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in solitary?"

"That's a good point," Edward muttered as he turned to Joker and raised an eyebrow.

"I've been on my best behaviour," Joker declared and hooked his thumb to himself. "My Doctor said so."

"When you say your Doctor you are referring to a real one and not dear Harleen," Jonathan commented.

"Hey, I'll have you know, Harley is a trained professional!" Joker grinned. "But lets be real Crane. You of all people can't commented on PHDs, what happened to yours again?"

"It's still Doctor Crane."

"No… don't think it is, you have to have three little letters stamped next to your name for that to be the case and…" Joker squinted at Jonathan's name tag on his jumpsuit. "Nope. No little letters there."

Jonathan gritted his teeth. "Are you naturally this annoying or is it just a skill you've gained over the years?!"

"Aww… why so glum scare chum?" The clown tilted his head to the side. "It's not like I have a super sneaky plan to take over the Asylum at all.. Oops! Must've slipped my mind!" he mockingly slapped a hand to his mouth and looked at Jonathan who frowned at him.

"What?"

"A little surprise party for our dear Dark Knight, Eddie's already all clued up and I really want you to be there too Jonny boy, think about it, get to toxin the old bat brain again. Maybe even get to see what he's afraid of. Catching my drift, spooky?" Joker turned his head to the side and noted the guards before he smiled. "Well boys, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a very important meeting with my Doctor to get on with," he rose to his feet and waved behind him. "T.T.F.N!"

Edward was silent as was Jonathan as they both glared after the clown, but their dinner was interrupted as a guard came over and stood over Edward.

"Get up Nigma. You have a visitor."

The smile that spread across Edward's face was predatory but he slowly to his feet and followed the guard out of the room, with Scarecrow watching him all the way.

The guard directed Edward into the visitors block, the smile had never let Edward's face as he walked in and waited for the guard to close the door.

"Interesting fact about the name, 'Sphinx' my dear. In ancient Greek it means 'to strangle', many theorise that this is because of the lion part of the mythical creature and how female lions were thought to strangle their prey with the mouths, of course we know the truth and it is in fact the teeth that do the damage, but the prey does always die from loss of blood and the fact that the blood enters the breathing system, so I suppose they do in fact 'strangle' their prey-," he stopped mid sentence as he narrowed his eyes at the person sitting on the opposite side of the glass. "Oh it's you."

"Spoil your little rant there… Nashton?" Jack Ryder snarled as he glared at the man on the other side of the glass.

Edward's eyes turned to slits at the sound of his last name. "So she finally told you," he sat down and laughed. "Figured she would eventually."

"Mist didn't tell me anything."

"Oh," Edward grinned. "So you took it upon yourself to snoop on her past… heh. I wish I could say it's been nice knowing you…"

"I know all about you and Mist, I know you two were best friends, I know that friendship developed into a relationship," Jack growled as he narrowed his eyes at the grinning man. "I also know about Mist's time in Clear Mind hospital."

The smile vanished from Edward's face.

That time had been difficult, he knew Mist was crazy, he knew it was her mother, but he couldn't prove it and who would believe him? No one believed him when it came to the abuse that his father did to him, so why would they believe it of Mist's mother? Why would she hurt the only child she had left?

Thankfully it was discovered and Mist was let out of the institute and her mother was placed in it instead.

"But I also know that it wasn't Mist that was the crazy one, it was her mother."

Edward leaned in closer, resting his chin on his hands as he listened to the other talk and boast about how much he knew..yes, he did know a lot but yet so little. In fact, the things Jack had found out were quite small compared to the very big things, like the fact that Edward had killed his father and Mist had watched it, about the fact that Mist had often been put in detention or even suspended from school because of her 'violent outbursts' towards other students. What those records never said was how they were usually bothering Edward or in fact bothering Mist. But of course there were times where Edward would take matters into his own hands, like Cameron who had picked on Mist and called her a child killer because of her sister's death. Edward had taken care of that.

There was a tire swing that swung out over the very river that Mist's sister had drowned in. He always used to swing over the fast running water, it was dangerous and everyone thought he was so brave and even more so after Chloe's death. Edward had seen to it though, he'd worn the rope of the tire swing down and then watched with amusement as it snapped when Cameron swung across the water and he fell in. He didn't drown because of the tire, he was able to hold on to it long enough for the authorities to get him out, but he'd suffered sevear head trauma and subsequently was unable to function probably for the rest of his life.

Edward couldn't help but chuckle at the memory, causing Jack to frown at him.

"My, my. You certainly did do your research," Edward smirked as he looked over at him. "But alas, you still fail to see the bigger picture and what about your little investigation into Strange, or has that taken a back seat in favour of prying into your partner and friend's past life? If that is what you do with your friends, Mister Ryder, I can honestly say I'm grateful I don't have any. I thought you were meant to respect your friend's privacy, but then again you are a reporter and the word 'privacy' does not exist in your vocabulary does it?"

"I'm concerned Mist has a double interest in this case and I also fear she'll make stupid mistakes… all because of you."

"Hmm. You don't give her the credit she deserves. But I'd be more worried about her mental health if I were you or else you may find she might get checked in here."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh dear, hasn't she told you? Well I suppose she didn't want to tell you," Edward grinned as he hissed. "Maybe she didn't trust you with the information and after this little visit I don't blame her."

Jack shook his head as he stared at the man in front of him in disgust. "I don't see what the hell Mist would of ever have seen in you to care about you… let alone have a child!"

It was as if time had stopped, froze in place.

"… What?"

"Enigma, your daughter!" Jack growled before his eyes suddenly widened. "Wait.. you didn't know… oh god you didn't know!"

"And now I do," Edward smiled. "Very interesting."

"You stay the hell away from Mist, stay the hell away from both of them!"

"Oh you poor ignorant fool. You truly believe I'd listen to a threat like that? I am the Riddler, not some cheap skate hoodlum who has no money, I sir am a genius and as the genius that I am, I know that you won't and can't do anything, for if you go and tell Mist about what happened here, you'd have to explain why you were here in the first place and oh how I would love to see that discussion go down, but alas… you're a coward. You would never tell her and now thanks to your idiotic bumbling, I now know I have a legacy and one that will surly need my attention if she is surounded by imbeciles like yourself."

Edward got to his feet and turned on his heel. "I thank you for the information, Mister Ryder…" he turned his head and grinned. "Do stop by again, if you wish to accidentally reveal any more secrets to me."

* * *

Mist sat quietly at her desk, staring off into the distance as her coffee became cold but she hardly seemed to care.

What no one realised was that Mist was actually staring at the bathroom door. She'd not entered it after the last time. She had no desire to see her dead sister again, especially not like that.

But what had even brought this on? And the not just her sister but the twisted version of herself too. She only ever caught glimpses of her in mirrors or sometimes she would hear her laughter but then it would disappear.

" _Not for long though, right?"_

She blinked and looked around the almost empty office, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights.

She'd heard a voice, no doubt about that, she'd heard a woman speak.

" _A woman who sounds oddly like you, no? I wonder what ever that could mean? Oh and as for what's brought this on… I think that we both can agree that seeing our dear nerd in Arkham was the thing that caused my littler return. Or do you want the actual reason for why I'm around at all? Blame mummy dearest, I do. Oh wait, you do too! Yeah… our time in that psycho ward did more damaged then we're willing to admit, didn't it Mist?"_

Mist looked up at her reflection in her computer screen only to see the twisted version of herself smiling back at her.

" _Hey honey, ya miss me? I sure as hell missed you my little goody two shoes of a creator. Seems you've been busy while I've been.. on vacation should we say?"_

Mist blinked and rubbed her eyes trying to get rid of it, it wasn't real, just in her head. All of it was just in her head!

" _Ah, but so real these voices in your head,"_ the dark Mist smiled at her, before she tilted her head. _"You honestly don't remember me do you? I'll give you a clue… 8 years ago, that Christmas Eve? The night Joker hired us to take out the Bat? Only problem was Lady Shiva didn't want us there, I guess she feared how much I'd give up about old Ras. Ya know, our master, the one who trained us how to kill and fight, the reason we have the tattoos and the scars. Though a few of the scars were from our dear mother… some were from ourselves… ya remember those times? When you couldn't cope with the black outs?"_

Mist's hand automatically went to her arms were a array of scars from self harm ran up. She'd done them because she couldn't cope with the blackouts, couldn't cope with waking up in places she didn't remember getting to, or being sliced up and covered in stitch work or worst when she'd wake up covered in blood that wasn't hers. That's why she'd kept her diary, she would write all the time in places she remembered going to, where she'd been what she'd done, it was to keep track of herself. That Christmas Eve, Mist had woken up in her home, covered in bandages, blood, stitch work, a sprained wrist, broken fingers, a black eye and a broken ankle that had been set back in place. She hadn't remembered what had happened, but so not to tighten Enigma, she'd put make up on to hide the bruises and wore long sleeves and shrugged the leg off as 'Mummy's just hurt her ankle a little bit' and they'd carried on Christmas like nothing was wrong.

Mist swallowed as she stared back at the smirking reflection.

" _Oh yeah and honey, we really gotta talk shop because,"_ she pointed up and down at what Mist was wearing. _"Wardrobe needs a work out, I mean… that is so not slimming or fitting of us and why always so covered up? We have the goods, I mean just look at these,"_ she slowly unzipped the leather jacket she was wearing to show the low cut and tight fitting top she was wearing underneath that showed off her breasts perfectly. _"I mean, hello. Damn right amazing goods right here and yet you choose to hide them behind layer after layer of pointless clothing. I mean we both know Edward undresses us with his eyes and man has he gotten better at that now he's a super villain… hey I wonder if he would be better in bed too? I mean, I was always the dominant one.. and man does that boy have some kinks,"_ She winked at Mist who blushed and sat bolt upright. _"Yeah I never really let you be in charge if he was in that sort of a mood, you wouldn't be able to cope, too mainstream… far too… oh what do the kids call it now? Oh that's right! You're far too vanilla for that kind of thing. Shame really, we're actually really good at it."_

Mist couldn't speak, she could only stare on in horror and fear as the other version of her danced around happily on the computer screen before she looked back at Mist and grinned.

" _While I'm at it, the name's Sphinx. Ya know, just in case you'd forgotten that little piece of information too. Also, you can input in at any time you would like, this conversation is getting very one sided."_

"Mist."

Mist jumped and screamed spinning around to see Jack staring at her with a confused look to his face.

"Whoa, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"No.. Jack.. it's fine," Mist rubbed her head before she looked back at the computer only to find nothing there. "It's nothing I was just… in my own world."

"Yeah well.. you need to wake up another body's been found."

"Oh? Another patient?"

Jack frowned and shook his head. "No. Worse."

"What could be Worse then that?"

"Mist. Officer Jimmy Andrews is dead."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Hey guys I'm back! Look at what we have now... oh boy Sphinx. The real Sphinx. So guys tell me what do you think of Mist's split personality?**

 **And for those of you who asked, Jester will be making an appearance in the next chapter and she will also be there in chapter 11. Of course we haven't heard anything from Enigma yet but don't worry she will be there soon. :D**


	10. Chapter 10: The voices in my head

So real these voices in my head.

* * *

Mist felt numb as the body was brought past the crowd. Jimmy Andrews. He'd been such a nice and honest guard, someone who actually wanted to help the people who were incarcerated in Arkham and because of that he had to be dealt with and killed.

It was risky so obviously they were getting close to the truth for Strange to have the guts to kill another guard off. All because he was helping get to the truth.

"I can't believe he's dead," Jack muttered as he continued to watch the body go.

"I can," Mist muttered as she turned on her heel and began to walk away, there was nothing else that could be done here, they couldn't do anything yet.

She glanced up at the mansion and saw Strange and the Warden watching the scene themselves, the Warden looked nervous, but Strange simply watched on with a look on contempt especially when he saw Mist.

" _Hey.. hot and dangerous twelve o'clock!"_

Mist turned her head away from Strange to see Edward leaning against a wall, smirking at her. Mist rolled her eyes and walked over to him, making sure that no one could see them.

"What do you want?" she growled as she glared at him.

"Well, I think you know what I want," he grinned as he looked Mist up and down and she only narrowed her eyes further in response. "But what I would like is for you to pick up the pace and take Strange down already!"

"What's wrong, Eddie?" she walked up to him and gave him a look of mock concern. "You're not scared are you?"

" _Oh… you evil little minx you! That was cruel and trust me I know cruel… but why would you want to be so hurtful towards our darling little psycho nerd? Isn't he just a cutie!"_

Mist rolled her eyes before she turned away from him. "I have yet to figure out who you mean when you say I need to talk to someone, so in some ways I guess you could say… you are the one who's keeping Strange in a position of power."

Edward scowled at that before he pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of her. "Oh and how are the visions faring my dear? Seen any dead siblings again recently? Tell me, how is our dearly departed Chloe?"

"Bite me, Edward," Mist growled as she glared at him before a cold smirk came across her face. "How's Daddy? Oh no.. wait I mean… how's Mummy?" she watched with faint amusement as Edward seemed to go pale at the mention of his mother and he actually looked slightly spooked. "Oh," she held her hand up to her face and showed a mockery of the emotion pity. "I forgot, she was never around."

"Careful, Sweetheart." he growled as he stepped into her personal space. "I'm not the only one with a bad family history and we both know very well that some of those scars were self inflicted."

They were both now only inches apart from each other, Mist staring up at Edward who was staring back down at her, well glaring is a more accurate thing that they were both doing.

" _Ahhh…"_ Sphinx sighed as she suddenly began talking again. _"Isn't he dreamy? He's just the type of guy we want and like Misty and you know I'm right… look at him… those big shining blue eyes that cocky grin of his.. he's perfect and now we find out he's a complete and utter psychopath just like me. Oh we hit the jackpot with this find, no one can beat him and I mean no one. Oh and lets not forget his mind, how could we ever forget a mind like that? Oh c'mon already! Let me take over and I can create a situation that both of us would enjoy so much."_

Mist scowled at her other personality? Was that what she was? She didn't know, maybe something to look up.

"By the way, I will be taking my leave of Arkham soon," Edward commented as he studied her. "And maybe when I do, I'll pay dear Enigma visit."

Her blood ran cold and she stared at Edward in shock as he merely smirked.

"Thought you could keep such a thing hidden from me? Please, show a little bit more respect for my mind. You know I would of found out eventually and yet you tried to hide it. So… you can try to deny it, in which case I would know and you would never know who told me of her existence or.. you can admit to me that she is in fact real and I'll tell you exactly who it was that told me of such a thing."

"Who was it?" Mist growled as she glared at him.

"Breaking news!" Edward turned her around and held on to her shoulders as he leaned down next to her ear. "You don't know Jack about Gotham, tune in to find out more."

Mist felt her eyes widen and she could feel and smirk form across Edward's face as the realisation hit her.

"I look forward to seeing your reaction, my mystery," he whispered before he quickly kissed her cheek and disappeared out of sight but Mist wasn't paying any attention to that.

Jack had told Edward about Enigma but why?! Why would he do something like that?!

" _Would you like me to kill him? I'd be more then happy to."_

"Not killing anyone," she growled out.

" _My god, you talk! But are you sure? I mean… it would be so easy… we have done it before."_

Mist glanced to the side and saw a young girl dripping wet only for her to raise her head and show it to be her sister, her flesh rotting and maggots crawling out of her face, a few of them were crawling up to her white eyes as water dripped out of her mouth while blood trickled out of her eyes.

She breathed heavily as she stared at her dead sister, backing up slightly as the dead girl tilted her head to the side and took a small step towards her.

It wasn't real, she just had to remember that it was all in her head… and her head was apparently very messed up. Oh god, when would this stop, when would the visions stop?!

" _They're never going to stop Misty. You're stuck with us, with me,"_ Sphinx cackled as she suddenly was next to Mist's ear and whispered harshly. _"Weather you want us or not."_

* * *

"I think your girls got problems Eddie."

Edward was silent and glanced over at his companion who was sitting up on a tower of the old ruins, it was where they'd both go for quiet talks or just to be out of the way of the guards.

The black and white clown girl was a nice welcome addition to the whole clown family and Arkham had welcomed her like the daughter it never had. But there was no denying just how crazy Jessica Turner was and her twin sister was even worse.

Edward looked away from her and stared down at the floor. "What ever makes you say that, you black and white film reject."

The girl frowned before she pushed some of her bi-coloured hair of black and white out of her eyes. "Rude," she pointed out before she jumped up and went into a handstand. "I can just sense crazy though, your girl has problems. Clear classic signs of Schizophrenia. Not to mention split personality."

"It's Dissociative identity disorder actually, Jester," came the monotone voice of Doctor Crane as he joined them. 'But it is more commonly known as Split personality."

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you, Jon," Edward chuckled but only got a cold glare in response.

"What is it with Gotham and craziness?" the clown girl spoke up as she dropped to the floor next to them both. "I mean it's teaming with nutters. On the streets there was a rumour going round that there was something in the water."

"That rumour has been around for a long time," Edward muttered. "But it is not true, how could it be."

"I dunno, you're the genius you tell me."

"Gotham is a bad place," Jonathan spoke up. "And in bad places there is a rise in violence, child abuse, child neglect, drug abuse, gang related violence, povety, racism, discrimination, deaths, suicides, bribery, corruption, but most importantly,"

"Uh-ho here it comes…"

"Fear."

Edward gave Jonathan a dull look. "Really?" he growled out. "Is fear your answer to everything?"

"Fear turns good people into monsters, Edward. I would of thought that someone who suffered from child neglect and abuse would realise such a thing. You became the Riddler because you wanted recognition, you wanted respect, you wanted attention, but most importantly you were scared of being forgotten, of never being noticed, so you became the Riddler so you would be noticed, and yet even now Batman still leaves you till last when ever there is a mass break out, have you not realised how pathetic you truly are?"

"Gee, Jonny, a little below the belt don't ya think?" Jester growled as she glared at the Scarecrow, who merely shrugged in response.

"He's only angry with me because he knows it's the truth only he doesn't want to admit it," he steepled his fingers and smirked. "You see, every decision we make, every action we do, every word we say, it's all governed by fear. Fear is the drive behind everything we do and you can't deny that."

"Watch me, I'm denying it," Edward growled as he turned on his heel, pocketing his hands. "You're wrong, Crane. I do what I do so people can finally see me for their intellectual superior, not to mention I am saving this fair city by getting rid of the people who constantly bring it down. The idiotic delinquents who live on most of these streets, not to mention the muggers and thieves who patrol the corners."

"Wait a second…" Jester spoke up. "If fear is the reason we do stuff… then that means that fear is the reason you do your stuff too," she concluded as she pointed at Jonathan who narrowed his eyes at her.

"No, I do not fear anything."

"Well if you didn't fear anything then going by your philosophy you wouldn't be doing anything," she looked over at Edward who was giving her a confused and slightly shocked look. "What? I know big words too ya know."

"I don't think you understand," Jonathan rubbed his eyes. "Fear drives everything, we do everything out of fear. You always smile because you're scared of being sad, of facing up to the truth. Fear is the fuel behind all of our decisions and life choices."

"So you became the Scarecrow because you were scared."

"The Scarecrow fears nothing!"

"You just counter and disproved your idea in that whole sentence!"

Edward laughed as Jonathan seemed to go red out of anger. "Oh dear, the mighty Scarecrow is beaten by a mere 15 year old girl. Not so terrifying now are ya 'Spooky'?"

Jonathan glared at them both. "You do of course remember that I always carry a dose of my fear toxin around with me, even when I am locked up here in Arkham? Would you like me to give you a very close up experience of what it can do? I believe that the particular formula I am carrying at the moment has the ability to make you feel pain as well as see your worst fears and I'm simply dying to try it out on a willing test subject."

"Eddie… I wanna leave," Jester whined as she glanced up at him. She had no desire to see whatever she would see due to fear toxin.

"I've never treated you, have I little broken reflection?"

Jester blinked. "Please tell me you're talking to Eddie."

"He's not," Edward muttered. "And I've had one two many appointments with him."

"Well then another one won't kill ya," Jester shrugged as she smiled nervously up at him, with Edward only returning with a blank gaze.

"Well there goes your rescue."

"Oh Eddie, c'mon!"

"Now," Scarecrow stepped forward and Jester took a very big step back. "This is an air based toxin, you may feel a slight tickle at the back of your throat when you breath it in, that is perfectly normal and expected. Now once the toxin has warn off, I would suggest getting a long cool drink, water would be the best option. Your throat will be quite sore from the toxin and the amount of screaming you're gonna do."

"Jonny-."

"The Doctor isn't in at the moment, but you can leave an appointment and he'll get right back to ya," Scarecrow grinned as Jonathan's facial expression took on that of a completely deranged psychopath who was going to take as much enjoyment out of this as he possibly could.

"Jonny…" Jester trailed off as the man pulled a small vile out of his belt buckle.

"Now just take a nice deep breath and let the toxin work it's magic."

"Jonny this…" she quickly turned on her heel and bolted with Scarecrow right behind her. "This isn't funny anymore! Jonny, this isn't funny anymore!"

Edward watched startled as Jonathan chased after the girl, easily catching up to her and breaking the vile. Of course she tried to hold her breath that was the only thing you could do in a situation of an air base toxin like Jonathan's but it wasn't going to work or at least Scarecrow wasn't going to let it as he punched her in the jaw to make her breath in the substance.

"Umm Jonathan…" Edward began before he trailed off at the loud screams and begging that suddenly started to erupt from Jester's mouth. Cries to her sister to help her and to not push her into the vat of chemicals that she believed to be below her.

"Yes, Eddie?" Scarecrow cackled as he watched with a sick fascination the 'beautiful' show that was being performed in front of him. "And it's Scarecrow not Crane."

"Right, yeah, Scarecrow… do you have to toxin her… she is just a child…"

"Would you like to trade places?!" Scarecrow snarled as he glared at the man of riddles who took a step back making Scarecrow smirk. "Figures… you always were a coward after all. Hehehheherhe.. riddle me riddle meree.. a Hawk sat on a tree and said to himself said he, la what a fine bird I be," Scarecrow cackled and he turned and smirked widely at Edward. "Fine, maybe… but oh so very much a coward."

"The biggest coward here is you Jonathan," Edward snarled. "You're so much of a coward that you won't even admit that you're afraid, so instead you take it out on others."

The master of fear scowled and turned his back on him. "You think you're so smart don't you Nigma? Well just you wait… I would say pleasant dreams but after that comment I can assure you, you won't be having any, in fact you're only going to be having nightmares," he waved him away as he continued to watch Jester. "Now leave, you're interrupting my re-search."

Edward shook his head and turned on his heel walking away from him. "She is going to murder you when she wakes up," he muttered as he walked away but Jonathan took no notice.

* * *

" _Can I please just kill something? I'm dying here."_

"We're not killing anything," Mist muttered back as she stalked over to her car, trying to keep herself calm and ignore Jack completely or at least as best she could.

Stupid pompus idiot! What did he think he was doing telling Edward about Enigma, in fact… why had he even bothered to speak to Edward alone… without her…?

What did he know?

She was frozen as she waited for him in the car, her hands gripped the steering wheel and she stared straight ahead.

He had to know something or he wouldn't have spoke to him.

Mist stayed silent as Jack got in and shook his head.

"Strange did, there's no doubt about it, Strange killed him. Damn, he was a good kid too."

"What in gods name were you thinking?!" Mist yelled as she glared at the man who looked startled and confused at the same time as he simply stared back at her.

"What?"

"Edward told me!" she yelled as she smacked his arm. "What the hell were you thinking?! Oh what am I saying? You weren't thinking were you?"

"I-."

"You told Edward about Enigma!" She glared at him. "You told him about her, his daughter, my daughter do you have any idea what this could do, what you have just set off!?"

"So… you did know him," Jack whispered as he stared and Mist calmed down and she took a calming breath before turning away.

"Yes I did… One of the few people who probably knew him as Edward Nashton but I suppose you probably already know that…" she looked at him and he nodded.

Jack looked nervous, really nervous and Mist knew why, but she rolled her eyes.

"Oh for.. I'm not going to kill you."

" _I might though."_

She rolled her eyes at Sphinx but looked back at Jack. "What you think because I know a super villain and I may have had a relationship with one in my past that I'm suddenly going to go off the deep end and kill you all because you know my history?"

Jack was silent and simply stared back at her as she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know what's more insulting, the fact you thought I'd go crazy or the fact that you still do," she harshly put the engine on before she narrowed her eyes at the smiling figure who was sitting in the back seat. She glared at Sphinx. "I'm not crazy," she snarled out.

" _Are you telling him, me or yourself that?"_

Mist gripped the wheel and pulled away from Arkham, whispering to herself. "I'm not crazy," and all she could hear was the sound of her other half's laughter.

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Heheh... hey guys... yeah I know I haven't posted in a long time, I had a serious case of writers block and then had college work piled on top all while looking for a job, but I'm back and because of it, I'm uploading two chapters for you guys tonight, I hope you enjoy them. Don't worry more chapters will be coming up, I'm back on a roll now, I will also be carrying on with Arkham Life soon, I'm part way through the next chapter but once I've completed that chapter updates will be once a week.**

 **When that story is finished the** **sequel will take a while to be written because I really want to focus my attention on this story really, but anyway enjoy :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Life is a game

Life is a game.

* * *

He stared back at the girl who held the most angry look on her face he'd ever seen as she stabbed at the helpless so called food on her plate.

Edward tilted his head to the side before he looked back at the harsh look to her features.

"You know… I think that whatever is cooked in this meal is dead, there's no reason for you to hack it to pieces anymore."

Jester slowly slid her eyes up to him and glared. "I'm imagining it to be someone else."

"Like?"

"Scarecrow."

"He really got to you didn't he?"

She jumped up onto the table and grabbed him by his collar. "Yes he made me angry wouldn't he make you angry no one, no one touches that part of my mind, no one!"

"Okay well while we are remembering that also remember that it wasn't me who did it," he shoved the girl back into her seat and narrowed his eyes. "And stop sulking, if it bothers you deal with it."

"And how am I supposed to deal with it?"

Edward gave her look and she grinned back at him.

"Like that huh?"

"How else are you supposed to deal with it."

"I dunno, you tell me, you're the adult psycho here."

"How many times.." Edward muttered as he gave an exasperated sigh, as he poked the food around his plate himself before he caught the slightly confused look the girl was giving him. "I'm not crazy."

"Oh right yeah," Jester rolled her eyes. "I forgot you were just here for your summer vacation, I remember now."

He decided not to answer that with a response before he shook his head and looked ahead of him only to be greeted by the face of Jonathan Crane sitting on the opposite side of him. Next to him he heard the girl growl and Jonathan simply rolled his eyes.

"That held as much threat in it as a kitten."

"Yeah well this here is a Joker-ised kitten!"

Scarecrow rolled his eyes before he saw Edward had seemed to pale slightly.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Strange."

The other two and turned to see Strange staring at all the patients a smile on his face, it made Jester shudder and even Scarecrow looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Lack of empathy, doesn't play well with others, no social interaction, lack of emotion…" Jonathan listed them off as he continued to study the supposed head Doctor of Arkham. "How has none of the staff picked up on the quite clear and obvious signs of a psychopath?"

"Maybe they want to look the other way?"

"Or maybe someone's making them," Edward growled as he glared. "Look."

They watched as Sharp came over to Strange, the two seemed to be a in a deep conversation, Sharp looked worried but Strange was calm.

Seriously what was taking Mist so long? Was she doing this to torture him, to scare him? Was it for her own amusement? He didn't fine it funny. She was smarter then this, how had she not worked out who he meant?! Then again she had been a little occupied with the recent visions she was experiencing. Wait.

"Jon?"

"Yes?"

"You said that Mist clearly had Dissociative Identity Disorder?"

"Yes?"

"What would her other personality be like?"

Jonathan turned to him and took his glasses off, cleaning them on his jumpsuit. "It depends on the situation."

"Huh?" Jester frowned. "C'mon spooky ain't it obvious? She had a bad life and made the other persona to help her cope with it."

"Yes thank you for your simple diagnosis," Jonathan bit out before he looked at Edward with a sigh. "Let me guess, she had a bad childhood which brought you two closer and due course created the relationship you had but she clearly broke it off, you on the other hand, as always, have a hard time accepting the word 'no' when it's directed at something you want."

"Yes she had a bad childhood," Edward answered as flashes of what her mother did to her and then what Mist would do to herself to cope, but then there were other things like when she would end up somewhere and have no idea how, the blackouts. They were the first clue about the condition she had.

"Well it is likely that she created her split, a stronger version of herself, to deal with the truama, to explain it simply the other her is stronger, more confident and probably more violent then her normal self."

Edward gulped. Mist, normal Mist was scary enough someone worse then that? Oh dear.

"By the looks of your face that's not a good thing."

"Far from it."

"Well it is likely that after she left you it probably went dormant… I take it she's only just started having them again? The black outs?"

"Something like that."

"Probably seeing you again has triggered the split to re-activate itself as a form of protection."

"Protection from what? Protection me?"

"Protection from the emotions you could possibly stir up. She's fragile, especially to positive emotions such as love. If she had a bad childhood and had no recognition towards anything she did, so no love either. Then you come along and-." he paused a moment before he glanced at Edward and smirked. "Now that's interesting."

"What is?"

"You both needed each other," Jonathan shook his head and began to laugh. "You both had a desire to be loved, to be recognised, to be praised and then you met each other and you both gave each other the exact same thing. Love. Recognition. Praise. You built a relationship on loss and needs and wants of a child, that's a rather unhealthy thing to do."

"Oh what would you know!" Edward growled. "You don't know the first thing about relationships," he stood up to leave, but Jonathan narrowed his eyes at him.

"I know psychology so if you wish me to help solve your problem and answer your question, I suggest that you sit down and shut up!"

Edward quickly took his seat again and stared at Jonathan in slight shock. It was rare that Jonathan would raise his voice, preferring to speak in a raspy like whisper then yell. It was rare that Edward would actually listen to someone, but this time he did.

"Now. It is likely that her other persona is strong, confident to the point of over confidence, cunning, dangerous, violent, impulsive, narcissistic, probably a deviant in most normal things, won't play with others, lack emotion and empathy and enjoy inflicting pain on other people."

"Are you suggesting that Mist's split is a psychopath?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting."

"But why?" Jester spoke up as she fiddled with the food on her tray. "Why'd she make a split?"

"It's most likely she created an imaginary friend while she didn't have Edward, then when she met you that imaginary friend would of been pushed to the back of her mind and that's where it probably grew and became a dissociative identity disorder."

Jester sighed. "Well this is all tremendously boring… I'm gonna take a walk."

The two older rogues watched as she got up and began to leave, heading towards the exit before Edward turned back to Jonathan and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Could the split be controlled?"

"Controlled by who?'

"Me."

Crane was silent. "In theory. But why would you want to?"

"I have my reasons," Edward smirked before he glanced up towards Strange who was watching him again. "I need an ace up my sleeve if I'm going to win this time, a secret hidden back up plan and what better then a split personality."

"If her split worked out you were using her…" Jonathan trailed off. "Well I don't need to tell you it would not end well for you. She would be unpredictable, dangerous. You can't… you probably can't control a split like that."

"Life is a game my dear friend," Edward grinned as he looked over at Jonathan who simply raised an eyebrow. "And my dear mystery is a game all on her own, and yet at the same time she's just another chess piece in a very big game."

"What are you going on about?"

Edward glanced at him and smiled. "Oh… it doesn't matter right now, the game hasn't started yet, but it will," he glanced up at where Strange was and he seemed to understand what Edward was saying through the stare because he simply smiled and began to walk away.

* * *

"Rat out the truth… rat out the truth…? What the hell does that even mean?!" Mist slammed her fist down on her desk before sighing and rubbing at her eyes. "I need sleep…"

"That we can both agree on…" Jack muttered as he placed some coffee down in front of her. "But I need you awake right now, we got this mess to sort out."

"Mess.. I've got a riddle…" Mist sighed and tapped at her desk. "He's obviously talking about someone in Arkham but who? Ugh, why do I feel like this is so easy it's staring me in the face and I just can't catch-" she stopped mid sentence and went wide eyed.

Jack stared at her for a bit. "Mist..?"

She simply stared off into space her eyes wide and unblinking for a moment.

"Mist…? Is everything okay…?"

"Sonuva-!" she suddenly stood up and grabbed at her things. "How could I have not of noticed!"

"Umm notice what?"

"The riddle! He's talking about an inmate!" Mist quickly shot up at lightning pace and grabbed her coat and jacket. "And I know exactly which inmate he's talking about."

Jack could only watch in slight confusion and shock as the woman went running through the office like a kid in a toy shop, it was so… odd.

"Well.. where are you going?!" He yelled after her.

"To Arkham, don't wait up!"

* * *

Mist sat patiently behind the glass, waiting for the inmate to be brought through and sure enough there he was.

He was the complete opposite of Edward, where Edward was neat, this inmate clearly was not. His hair was long and hung in waves and waves of ginger hair, some hanging in front of his eyes which had dark circles under them, as his two front teeth stuck out as an overbite. His face was slim and angular and he seemed to slouch over in a hunched position as he sat there, peering out at her.

"Otis Flanigen, the Rat Catcher," Mist stated as she studied the man in front of her.

"Yeah, what's it to ya?"

"I need your help."

"Don't know what you'd need my help with, ya loose a button or something?" he snorted before rubbing at his eyes. "I don't talk to lousy up town folks like you, ya just kick my children aside like they're nothing."

"Are you referring to your rats?"

"What else."

"Well… look…" Mist sighed before she leaned forward towards the glass, glancing round to make sure no one was listening in. "There's something going on at Arkham."

"So? What's that to do with me and who even are you?"

"I'm Mist Terry, I'm an investigative reporter-"

"Oh, I know who you are," Otis leaned back away from her and frowned.

"Then you know who's directed me to you."

"I don't want to get in trouble with no big league!" Otis hissed. "Nigma can suck it for all I care, I ain't messing in his game!"

"He directed me to you," Mist explained. "Said that you could help because if there was one person in this Asylum that knew about what was going on more then he did, it would be you and that's because you have your own… should we say… informants?"

Otis tapped at the wood on his chair as he studied her for a moment. "So the great Edward Nigma had to go beneath him to solve a problem. Well, as much as I am honoured that he believes I know more about what's going on in Arkham then he does, I am not spilling nothing."

"So you do know something," Mist whispered as she looked back at the rat like man who tightened his lips into a frown. "You do don't you?"

"I may have heard something…"

"What was it? You have to tell me!"

At this Otis began to laugh, laugh loudly and swing his head back. "Oh… you're new to this aren't you! I don't have to tell you anything, not until I get a proper incentive to do so."

"I can give you money."

Otis waved his hand. "I have plenty of money, nah, I'm talking about owing me something or getting me something more useful then money."

"I take it soap is off the table then? Which is a pity you really look like you need a bath… smell like it too.."

Otis blinked before he shook his head. "Now I can see why Ed liked ya', you're both exactly the same."

"I'm nothing like him."

"Ha. Yeah sure…" Otis smirked before he stretched out. "Well… if that's all…"

"No wait! I can get you something! What do you want?!"

"There's nothing you can get me, I have my rats and they get me everything I need," he explained as he stood up.

"There must be something though…"

"Well… if Nigma likes you, then you're bound to be smart. I'll let you figure it out."

* * *

Professor Strange's office was probably the most secure parts of the Arkham building, if not the most secure part of the building. An electrified gate and an electrified floor greater any unfortunate soul who tried to venture in without Strange's permission.

Any idiot couldn't do it, Strange had made sure of that. Only some would be able to hack past his codes and unlock everything but most did not work in Arkham.

Hugo Strange sat pondering over some recent notes, re-writing a few ideas before his pen came to a stop and he smiled.

"I have to admit, you rather disappointed me," he closed the folder before he pocketed the pen. "I expected you to come and see me a long time ago, I have been expecting you," he slowly turned his chair around to face the door and smirked. "Mister Nigma."

Edward stood in the door way, his figure outlined by the electricity he stood in front of, hand moving away from the control panel where he had obviously put the security measures online again.

"I'm flattered you have been expecting me, Hugo," he drawled out before he narrowed his eyes at him. "Now lets cut to the chase."

"Why bother?" Strange got to his feet and pulled out a chair, gesturing to Edward to sit in it. "You never do like cutting straight to the point, why not indulge yourself like you have done so many times before?"

Edward paused for a moment, studying him before he slowly walked over and sat down in the chair, crossing his leg over and study the man in front of him with as sharp a gaze as the man was returning.

"You're been experimenting and killing patients here."

"A wild accusation to be making Edward," Strange smiled. "Where's your proof?"

"I don't need proof. We both know you've done it. You have been killing the patients here and did you think a genius of my caliber wouldn't of noticed the rise in those… creatures… the lunatics who can barely function. That's your handy work isn't it?"

Strange was silent for a moment before he stood up. "Would you like some tea?" he asked as he turned and began to make some up anyway.

"The screaming, tearing at skin, the psychotic episodes of rage," Edward looked at his fingers in disinterest to what Strange was doing. "And lets not mention the horrid physical traits of their face. The pieces of metal to keep there eyes wide open at all times and their teeth showing. I've read your papers in my spare time, I know your handy work when I see it Strange."

"Not just mine," Strange smiled as he turned and gave Edward the cup of tea he'd made. "Mister Tetch has been most helpful."

"Jervis?" Edward blinked in confusion. "What on earth has Jervis got to do with any of this?"

Strange smiled and Edward narrowed his eyes back at him.

"Now, to the real matter at hand," Strange stated as he gently took a sip of his tea. "Mist Terry."

Edward froze.

Strange smiled, all teeth, his glasses shining in the light. "Ah yes… young love… the riddle and his mystery," he reached over and grabbed a file from his desk growing it open to the floor, photographs and news paper clippings, as well as school photographs came falling out and spreading across the floor. "Such a fitting couple the two of you made. Your intelligence exelled even at a young age, you thought you were the only one and then you met Mist, your intellectual equal…" Edward starred in horror at the images on the floor, it was him and Mist when they were children. It was their entire history. "But then the story seemed to be cut short, until it was discovered that it was in fact Mist's mother who was mentally ill."

Nima gulped, his breathing going slightly off pace as he turned to stare back at Strange who held a look of contempt for the him.

"One wonders…" Strange commented as he slowly rose to his feet, stepping over the papers on the floor to pour himself another cup of tea. "If the time spent in that hospital at such a young age could effect a mind like Mist's. Did she really come out whole again?"

"Mist isn't crazy!"

"Hmm…" Strange smiled and turned back to him. "And yet… you would say the same thing about yourself and here you are… But you can stop with the charade Edward. I already know of Mist's mental problems… paranoid schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder, moments of psychopathic rage…" he smiled as he watched Edward go paler and paler as he listed off the problems Mist clearly had. "Such a shame that two brilliant minds got so lost."

"Stay away from Mist."

"And your daughter?"

All he could do was stare back.

"You think anything in this Asylum happens without my knowing of it? I know yo have a daughter with Mist and what did I happen to find?" Strange turned and switched his computer on to a screen with a smiling young girl wearing glasses greeted them. "Enigma Nashton Terry," Strange stated as he read through the small blurb next to the girl's image. "One of Gotham High's brightest young students. Her intellect is genius in proportion, matching that of Einstein himself, maybe even matching that of the great Steven Hawking. A child I'm sure you'd be proud of Edward," he turned back to him only Edward was staring at the girl.

It was the first time he'd seen his daughter. She was beautiful, had long black hair like Mist, Edward's slight pale complexion with his blue eyes and his smile. She looked like a younger version of Mist, except with traces of him in her looks too.

"She is a very pretty girl…" Edward glanced up at him. "Shows so much promise," Strange continued before he leaned over and shut the computer down. "Be a shame if she was in an accident."

"Leave her alone!" Edward snarled as he stood up, his tea long forgotten on the side.

"My Edward, is this real human emotion you're showing?"

"They have nothing to do with this!"

"You made them part of it," Strange walked up to him. "You're the one leading Mist further and further into this little trap. If you really wish to keep them safe you'll discourage her from continuing in her work."

Edward shook his head. "You don't know Mist. She won't stop."

"Well it seems you both have that in common," Strange commented as he looked Edward up and down. He was on edge and it was clear to see. It would be unwise to push him any further, whilst the Riddler was not well known for physical violence that didn't mean he wasn't against it.

"You'll regret the day you ever crossed paths with me," Edward snarled as he turned to leave.

"I shall keep my fingers crossed…" Strange smiled as he watched the man leave, he himself turning around on his chair as the sound of the gates and electricity powering down reached his ears. "Oh Edward," he called and he heard the man stop walking. "Your tea is getting cold."

There was silence for a moment before the sounds of angry foot steps marching away was all he could hear, until in the end even they died down to all could be heard was silence.

Strange smirked before leaned down and picked up an image of Edward and Mist as kids. "How fitting that the riddle and the mystery should make an enigma. Oh… Mist Terry… your fate was sealed the moment you met Edward Nigma…" he opened the file on the desk and smirked. "But I don't think he knows just how similar you two truly are…I wonder how interesting the game will be once the third party finally comes into play." his eyes reflected the images before him and gazed upon the corpses and hits, all with their respective news paper clipping with one name tying them all. Sphinx. "Oh yes… how interesting indeed…"

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Two chapters like I promised :) Enjoy them.**

 **See ya in the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12:Feels like I'm in a nightmare

It feels like I'm awake in a nightmare

* * *

It had been a long day, Mist sat staring at all the papers circling her room as she studied all of them. She knew what she needed to do but she couldn't do it. How was she supposed to know what Rat Catcher would want? He could practically get anything he wanted with his rats and truth be told, Otis didn't care about anything other then his rats.

Once she'd got home Mist had done some research about the famed Rat Catcher and she found herself slightly disturbed by some of the recorded deaths Rat Catcher had been responsible for.

To be eaten alive by rats would truly be a horrible way to go.

At the sound of a contemplated hum behind her Mist span around and starred in horror as Edward stood leaning against the wall, finger tapping at his lips.

"Truly… what the Rat Catcher would want is an enigma…" he frowned a moment. "An impressive feat for a being so clearly idiotic. Rats? really?"

"How did you get out of Arkham?!" Mist breathed as her eyes went wide at the sight of him but Edward merely chuckled.

"I'm not out of Arkham," he explained as a sly grin fell across his face and he walked towards her. "I mean… yes I am here but the real Edward Nigma is locked safely in Arkham, I am a figment of your imagination. A projection of impulse if you will."

"That's not possible…"

"Really? You have a split personality and you see your dead sister on so many occasions and you wish to doubt my being here?"

Mist rubbed at her eyes. It was bad enough dealing with the real Edward, now she had a hallucination to deal with too?

"You know… thoughts hurt Mist," she snapped her eyes open and stared as Edward walked closer to her. "And it's bad and extremely rude to say such things about your dearly beloved."

"We are not married and you are not my beloved," Mist stood up and stormed past him, heading into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the counter and filled it with water from the tap as she slowly began to take sips of it.

The hallucination chuckled from behind her. "Yes, I suppose you're right… he's still locked up in Arkham."

"I do not love him."

"You do, you just don't want to admit it!" he shouted from behind her before laughing slightly, resting a hand in his trouser pocket before rubbing the other against his chin, all while letting a smile fall across his face. "But, I guess with my being here… you finally are starting to admit it. Admit the truth."

"Shut up."

"Finally starting to realise the horrid and most dreaded truth that is you still love him, even after all this time, even after what he became you still can't deny the passion, the love, the lust, the ever present carnal desires!"

"I said shut up!" Mist yelled throwing the glass of water across the room where it smashed on impact against the wall opposite her, the hallucination of Edward had disappeared.

In all the commotion she hadn't heard the sound of the door open as Enigma came in, who was startled at the glass smashing against the wall, even more so by the sobbing coming from the kitchen.

"Mum?" she called as she shut the door and dumped her bags on the floor, the sound of sniffing and an obvious indication of someone trying to hide the fact they'd been crying was all Enigma heard as she came round to the kitchen to see her mother on the floor.

"Hi honey," Mist smiled as she slowly rose to her feet. "How.. how was your day was it good?"

"I… guess yeah…" Enigma looked her mother up and down and could see there was something wrong. "Mum I heard you crying…"

"It's nothing," Mist lied as she turned around. "I was just remembering your aunt, my sister… that's all," she looked down in the sink and saw her dead sister staring up at her, eyes white and clouded over as the water dripped out of her mouth, her hand reaching towards her, coming to her face. Mist took a deep breath and closed her eyes before slowly opening them and the image was gone.

Enigma didn't look convinced when she turned around, damn sometimes Mist wished she wasn't as smart as she was.

"What did you do today anyway honey? You finished very late."

Sensing that her mother didn't wish to talk on the subject of the glass being thrown across the room nor the crying Enigma decided not to pry.

"I just did some extra studying, I needed the library," she shrugged and wandered back to grab her bags.

"Extra studying?"

"Yeah… we're covering family trees… I was trying to see where our line went."

Mist was silent for a moment. "I could always help with that Enigma."

"Well… there is one thing you could help me with…"

"Oh?"

"My father…" Mist simply stared back at her. "My Dad, mum I don't know who he is, I don't know anything about him."

"Enigma…" Mist was silent for moment, biting her lip and closing her eyes. "Enigma, you're father was a troubled man… brilliant, but troubled."

"But what was he like?"

"You don't need to know anything about him," Mist bit out before she claimed herself. "I'm your family, that's all you need, you don't need him. He would be… a bad influence on you."

"So he's a bad man..?"

Mist casted her mind back to just some of the crimes she new Edward had done in his time as the Riddler, even the murder of his father.

"Yes," Mist stated before she rubbed her eyes. "Enigma if you don't mind I need to work on this case, if you need any help with our side of the family just ask me."

"Okay mum…" Enigma trailed off as she walked into her room leaving Mist standing in the kitchen alone, surrounded by silence. That was of course until.

"Lying to our daughter?" she turned to the hallucination who shook his head at her. "Mist you have reached a new low."

Mist was silent before she turned to see her dead sister standing in front of the sink with water dripping from her clothing creating a puddle on the floor.

"I need some air…" she muttered before she grabbed her coat and keys, walking out of the apartment, blaming the door on the way out, Enigma looked out from her bedroom door frowning before she returned to her desk.

"Sorry about that, Mum just went out."

"That's okay," Victor replied over the skype chat he raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine but… Mum's acting off, I don't know what's going on but it's worrying. Anyway, can't worry about that now. What did you find?"

Victor was silent for a moment before he sighed rubbing at the back of his head in nerves. "You're not gonna like it…"

"I don't care."

"Well, I took your DNA sample to our bio lab, and I found out that it was in fact connected to the GCPD database, it has to be in case there is any anomalies in the blood and it's too corrupted the Police use our facility to clean it and look up the DNA and-."

"Victor. What was the result?"

He looked apprehensive on her reaction before pulling up a sheet of paper. "Your Dad's DNA was in the data base, the criminal data base… Enigma… your father's Edward Nigma, there was a 100% match to you. You're the Riddler's daughter."

She was silent for a moment before she contemplated how her mother had been acting.

"Do you think… do you think my mum knows?"

"I don't know? Maybe? I mean, it would be hard to forget someone like that surly?"

"You would think…"

* * *

Mist stormed down the streets of Gotham, it was pitch black as she entered an ally way, but in her blind sided rage at her hallucinations and at the very real dangers going on at Arkham she'd honestly lost the will to care about where she was, that was until her path was blocked by two bulky shadows.

Mist stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at them for a moment, before deciding that backing it up and going the other way would be the best idea, she found her way back blocked by three shadows.

Now she wished she'd been paying attention.

Deciding that marching forwards was her best option she began to walk, head held high and strong as she walked towards the two men, who equally walked towards her, just as she went to get past them, they blocked her off.

"Dangerous for a little lady like you to go wondering these streets alone in the dark."

"Yes," Mist agreed as she looked them up and down. "That's why I'm going home."

"All on your own?" one of them asked behind her as she slowly glanced behind her to realise she was surrounded.

"We'd be more then happy to walk you home," the one in front of her stated as he took a quick drink from the beer he'd been holding in his hand before he harshly backhanded her and she fell to the floor dazed.

She lifted a finger to her lips to find it split and bleeding, before she was grabbed by her hair and yanked upwards, before she was slammed against a wall.

"Help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, before a fist collided with her jaw knocking her slightly off balance, before she felt a hand reach up her shirt and she quickly kicked out, hitting the guy right in the stomach, causing some of the others to laugh.

"Oh feisty one here boys, I like them like that," he grabbed her jaw and squeezed causing her to hiss in pain. "Makes them all the more fun," he growled as he slowly ran his tongue up the side of her face.

Mist shivered as her struggling only intensified at the sudden and very real realisation of what they're intention was. She could cope with being beaten, with bering murdered but this.. this was worse… so much worse…

Then out of no where it all stopped. Had she imagined it all? She didn't want to open her eyes to find out.

" 'Aven't you creeps got any respect?! Come here ya lousy no good-!"

Her eyes slowly opened before they widened at the sight before her. She honestly couldn't believe what was happening in front of her.

"Harley girl, remember what I told you, less chatting, it's unprofessional."

"But no talk and all fight takes away the fun, Red! Right Kitty?"

"Sorry, Pam. I'm going to have to agree with Harley on this one."

Mist stared as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman all stood in front of her, with the men all knocked out and bleeding at their feet, some she was pretty certain were dead by the amount of blood and flowers coming out of their mouths.

Harley turned around and smiled at Mist brightly. "Hiya Misty! We haven't actually met but I heard loads about ya in Arkham from Riddles!"

Catwoman walked over and helped Mist to stand, in the commotion it seemed she'd been too stunned to actually stay upright and had instead slipped down the wall.

"You alright Kitten?"

"Yeah I… I think so…" she looked up at the three strong and independent women in front of her and to be honest she felt slightly threatened. "Umm thanks for saving me… why did you save me?"

"No woman deserves to be violated in such a disgusting and degrading way," Ivy spat as she crossed her arms firmly across her chest, nose stuck up in a way that showed just how much she hated men. After this encounter Mist couldn't blame her.

"Yeah so we decided to save ya!"

"Weren't you two locked up in Arkham?"

"Oh yeah… we escaped! But then when we all met up and saw you being attacked I suddenly recognised ya! I was like 'hey that's Eddie's girl!' so I knew we couldn't let you be hurt, no way!"

"I'm not Edward's girl," Mist grit out.

"He seems to think so," Ivy supplied as she looked at her nails in disinterest. "In fact he makes a habit of telling us how you belong to him, especially if someone so much as looks at you wrong. Also, all the big players in Gotham know who you are."

"What?"

"It's true," Catwoman admitted with a small smile. "One thing Eddie has never been good at, it's keeping his mouth shut. He's done a very good job of making sure everyone in the criminal underworld knows exactly who you are and what you mean to him. So kitten that means no one is going to touch you."

"If this got out to the public-."

"Oh what's it matter!" Harley cried as she looped her arm through Mist's and began to walk with her towards the end of the alley way. "Ya belong to a rogue, no big deal."

"You don't understand! If this gets out my story about what's going on at Arkham will be compromised and Strange won't face a court room."

"What's going on with Strange?" Ivy pressed as she came to stand on the other side of Mist, Catwoman going her.

"Strange has been experimenting on the patients and killing them, he killed two guards to cover his tracks, he's a psychotic and sadistic murderer who's using his position and his influence over the Warden to get what he wants."

"That explains a lot…" Ivy trailed off before she smiled bitterly. "And in that process you found Edward Nigma, your old flame and love. I can't believe Nigma actually found someone he was attracted to, bar his own reflection in a mirror. I had hope for him, to be better then all the other fleshy meat sacks called men that surrounded him, but it seems that even the ever proud Edward Nigma is controlled by the cries of his loins," Mist blushed a little at that. "Men are disgusting."

"Oh red, they're not all bad!"

"Harley you of all people are not aloud to pass innocence to men and their cruel base nature desires!"

Mist coughed a little before slipping away from Harley. "Well… as fun as this has been, I should really-."

"Nah! Misty, c'mon! Lets go out for a drink, us girls at the Iceberg, why not? I mean me and Ozzy are okay now, he still hates Mista' J, which is a pity but hey! At least he's all good with me now."

"Don't worry Harley," Selina smirked. "If it makes you feel better, everyone hates Joker, not just Ozzy."

Harley pouted at that but Mist looked confused. "I'm sorry… Ozzy?"

"Oswald Cobblepot, the disgusting little midget who runs the Iceberg Lounge," Ivy spat out as she raised an eyebrow at Mist. "Have you not heard of him?"

"Any reporter who's worth their salt has heard of him, I just.. the rumours are true then, about criminals drinking and spending an evening there?"

"Yeah, but everyone knows the rules not to spill anything to the fuzz, or they, ya know," Harley shrugged. "End up wrapped in plastic by the side of a road," he face lit up a moment. "Or 'e fears them to his pet shark!"

"Exscuse me?"

"He calls him Tiny," Selina supplied as she smiled.

"I take he is not tiny at all."

"Not in the slightest."

"Of course not."

"Ya think he's over compensating for somethin'?" Harley grinned causing the other girls to laugh, even Mist found a smile tugging at her lips slightly.

"Now, now Harl, whatever could you mean?"

"Well…" Selina smirked. "He does have a rather large umbrella collection."

At that even Mist couldn't help the laughter that came out of her mouth. It was weird, but she felt like she could be herself with them and they wouldn't get offended or upset by her comments, they were just as bad if not worse then her with some of the things they'd said just in the space of the few minutes she'd known them. Was it a bad sign though? That she felt at home with three criminals?

" _Well ya did sleep with one so I think feeling comfortable around criminals is a given,"_ Sphinx supplied helpfully in her mind, smirking all the way.

Mist rolled her eyes at the comment before she smiled. "Hey Harley, I think I might just take you up on that drink."

"Awesome!" Harley cried as she leapt into the air and grinning from ear to ear. "To the Iceberg!"

T.B.C:


	13. Chapter 13: A language I understand

A language I understand.

* * *

The Iceberg Lounge was possibly one of the poshest and most respectable places any of the super criminals got to spend time in, or at least were aloud to spend time in.

When she entered, Mist shocked at the amount of criminals that were actually there, most were small time but there were a few big leagues that hadn't been caught by Batman who were there, but not many.

Everything there was blues or silver and it shimmered like ice in the light the chandelier casted across the room, making rainbow like patterns hit the the white marble floor as the four women walked up to the bar.

Surprisingly, Oswald was behind the bar a smirk falling across his features at the sight of Mist.

"Well, this is a surprise. Eddie's girl 'ere in my establishment," he grinned, biting at the his cigar as he studied the women in front of him.

Mist winced before glaring. "I'm not his girl. I'd like to spend one evening where his name isn't mentioned."

Penguin smirked at that. "Gonna be a little hard, considerin' that everyone 'ere knows exactly who you are."

"Oh Ozzy c'mon, give us girls a drink, me and Red only just got outta' Arkham!" Harley whined.

"Alright Harley, give me a second. You girls what ya usual?"

"Yes please, Ozzy," Selina smiled before she turned to Mist. "And you kitten?"

"Umm.. a black russian."

"Ohhh I like it!" Harley giggled as she hopped up onto a stool, the others doing the same as Ozzy told his bar keep to make the girls their drinks, Mist tapped at the bar in thought.

It was a good thing Jack couldn't see her now, in fact she was asking herself why she was here now. She had no reason to be, she could just leave and not come back and that sounded like a sensible thing to do.

" _Mist you're not exactly a sensible person honey, just… stick around here for a bit.. maybe the girls can tell you something about Strange?"_

Mist frowned slightly as she looked up at her reflection in the shelving that held the drinks. "Why are you trying to help me with my story? You're not interested in it."

" _I'm bored and this is the first girls night out you've been on… ever! Of course I'm gonna try and keep you out here as long as possible. Stay and chat and get some info and most importantly my little basket case, have fun!"_

She rolled her eyes in response and turned to the girls who were laughing about a heist or something, Mist wasn't sure to be honest and quite frankly she didn't care that much.

"What do you know about Hugo Strange?"

They turned towards her, Selina shrugging.

"Sorry Kitten, not much. You want to know anything ask Harley she did used to work there."

Harley beamed brightly. "Oh yeah Strange is one sicko! I mean he made all the lunatics."

"What..?"

"Ya know," Harley waved her hand slightly. "Those crazies locked up in maximum security, the ones who scream and claw at the bars and stuff. They were regular level one and two patients, then Strange got his hands on them and thats all that's left now."

"Arkham knows this and they didn't try to stop him?!" Mist looked horrified at the very idea of the torture and pain the patients must of gone through.

"Well…" Harley trailed off and sighed. "Ya see the thing with Strange…? He can get in ya head and I mean really get in ya head. He's dangerous, I mean he sent Jonny into a catatonic state before reverting him back to how he was as a kid."

"Jonny?"

"Scarecrow," Ivy explained. "Strange got to him and turned him back into weak little Jonathan Crane for about a month, it wasn't until one of the guards hurt Harley that it triggered Scarecrow again and ever since then, Scarecrow always takes control of Crane's body when he has an interview with Strange."

"He's good at what he does then."

"Yeah… Strange is very good," Harley looked over at Mist with concern. "Whatever ya do, Misty. Don't get trapped in a room with him alone. He'll tear your mind apart."

Mist frowned, swallowing the fear down as it rose up in her throat, threatening to take hold of very core, but no, she wasn't going to let that happen. Not now.

"I need your help," she confessed and the girls looked interested. "I need to know what I could give Rat Catcher in trade for information and I need a secret way into Arkham."

"Getting something for Otis is easy," Selina shrugged. "Just get as much cheese as you can and give it to him, he struggles to feed his rats sometimes, especially the ones that get hurt and have to stay with him. He'll appreciate that."

"As for getting into Arkham, there's no way we can help you with that. At least theres no way in without experience and training both I'm certain you lack," Ivy frowned as Mist frowned back at her slightly offended but also confused as to why she was offended, it wasn't like she'd broken into anywhere of high security.

Then she realised that the emotion wasn't her's.

'What did you do?' she questioned Sphinx in her head who simply giggled in response.

" _Wouldn't you like to know."_

"If you ladies don't mind my butting in," they turned to Oswald who was smiling at them. "I may be able to get you in contact with a lady who can get you into Arkham unnoticed, being in Arkham well that's down to you but actually getting in and out, she can help you with."

"Who?"

Oswald grinned and took a puff of his cigaret. "Her name's Doctor Grace Balin. She can get you in Arkham."

"Orca?" Harley seemed surprise as did the others.

"Who?"

"Orca she's a nutso marine biologist. Wants to protect the water and stuff and it's natural environment… hey Red you and her would hit it right off!"

Ivy rolled her eyes. "I honour her cause. But why her Oswald?"

"She's good at breaking into places from the sea and since the sea is probably the most undetectable part of Arkham… well you see where I'm coming from I'm sure."

"Yeah you could enter through the sewer systems!" Harley grinned. "Just follow the rats through the pipes and they'd lead you straight to Otis, but word of advice, when ya get to the higher levels go by the air vents, they're all connected and they'll lead ya straight through the part ya need ta go."

Mist winced. "The sewers? Umm…" she looked to the side and frowned biting her lip.

"What is it?"

"Killer Croc..?" Mist looked back at them. "Isn't he supposed to be down in the sewer system of Arkham too?"

"Only in a certain bit. You'll be fine!"

She was not convinced but what choice did she have? This was the only thing she could do to get in Arkham, to get the information she needed and get her story, which would finally end with Strange, hopefully, locked up in Arkham himself.

* * *

Arkham's halls were quiet for once, the inmates had started to notice the disappearances and they were spooked by it. Quite the feat considering who were actually locked up in there.

The gentle dripping of water was all that could be heard from some of the leaking pipes that had yet to be fixed, a few pained filled moans could sometimes be heard, the occasional banging against the doors and walls along side a symphony of insane mutterings of the deranged could sometimes be heard in the chorus of the insane.

Soon though, the noise was accompanied by whistling, whistling an oddly happy tune.

The patient who idly walked the halls, hands stuffed in his pockets as he continued through his walk, a grin never leaving his face as he stopped at a particular cell and wrapped his knuckles against the bars.

"Knock, knock!"

"What do you want?"

Joker grinned and leaned his head round to stare at the patient inside the cell. "You're supposed to say 'who's there'."

"I have no time for your jokes, Joker," Warren White, the Great White Shark growled out as he sorted through his little red book, papers with various numbers and dates and names scrawled across them as he didn't even bother to look up at the Clown Prince of Crime, punching numbers into the calculator he hid under his bed and it's frame.

"Fine, Warren. You spoil sport. No sense of humour, see even Arkham can't give you that," Joker chuckled as he looked in at the highly disfigured man. "I just came down to talk to you about… our little arrangement."

"Everything is in it's place as we discussed."

"Excellent, I'll pass my praise onto your boss," Joker grinned as he gripped the bars staring in at Warren. "Ya know… they still keep ya lips and nose in the morgue right? I think they're planning on sewing it back to ya face once you kick the sardine can."

"As informative as that was, I must ask you to leave, I'm busy."

"Sheesh, take the night off already, won't kill ya to smile Warren, I mean," Joker laughed slightly. "Ya got the teeth for it."

"Get out!"

Joker wasn't bothered at all instead grinning widely as he pushed away from the bars. "See ya Warren, I'll go and pay Eddie a visit now," he began to laugh darkly in the back of his throat, a low droning tone that sent shivers down Warren's spine as he actually looked up at that sentence staring after the thing figure of the monster and king of Arkham.

"Nigma you're so screwed," he muttered before he turned his attention back to his work.

It wasn't long until Joker reached the cell, noting how Crane was also residing in the cell too, reading a book as usual with Edward pacing in the cell, a slightly troubled look to his face.

"Whats up Eddie?" Joker quizzed as he stepped into the light, staring at the riddle lover through the bars as he stopped in his pacing, body frozen at the clown's voice, Jonathan looked slightly startled at the voice his eyes snapping up to where the Joker stood against the bars, the light casting an erie glow around his lean figure. Edward turned towards Joker who was grinning at him. "Can't sleep?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was bored… thought I'd take a stroll," Joker explained as he slowly walked across the front of their cell. "But then!" he suddenly stopped and snapped his finger. "I remembered your little riddle and… I suddenly understood everything."

Edward was silent as he stared back at the clown who turned towards him, the light flashing in his dark eyes as his grin seemed to stretch even further across his face.

"You really should be careful who you tell to keep away from your girl, Eddie. Harley really is the blabber mouth."

"So you cheated," Edward concluded as he folded his arms across his chest defensively glaring back at Joker who merely smirked back at him.

"Shame on me, Eddie, shame on me…" he growled out before it slowly evolved into dark chuckle at the back of his throat. "She sounds like a charming girl.. maybe I should make the acquaintance of this Mist Terry," he laughed. "No wonder she caught your attention. Name practically screams you. Kinda sad really, but who am I to say anything? You remember Harley's real name right? Ha! Walked right into that one."

"Stay away from Mist," Edward growled as he stalked up to the bars, Joker only smirking wider in response before he turned his attention the straw man at the back.

"Hey Spooky!" Edward glanced behind him, but was suddenly grabbed by his shirt collar and slammed against the bars, held in place by Joker's tight grip.

Jonathan sprang up, but Joker shook his head at him and produced a shiv he'd made or stolen from someone.

"Ah, ah, ah Jonny boy, let the teacher talk," he waved the shiv around before placing it against Edward's throat, pressing the blade against the pulse point. "I wouldn't. Not unless you want me to turn your cell into the red sea, ya get me?"

Jonathan simply stood still, hands tensed as Joker smirked. "Good boy," his attention turned back to Edward who was wincing at the pressure that was being forced against the side of his head. "Now… where are your manners Eddie? Don't you know it's rude to threaten someone in their own place?"

"You don't own Arkham!"

"I may as well own it, Eddie! I am king of this little slice of hell," he quickly grabbed his hair and pulled his head back so Edward was staring at him in the face. "I will meet your little lady and I'll give her nice new smile," he dragged the blade across Edward's mouth in a smile motion to make his point. "What do you think? Or maybe… I could give her a new look, I hear facial scars are all the rage this year… or was it mental scars..? No, it might of been burn scars… hey why don't I do all three so we cover all bases huh?"

"You… you wouldn't!"

"Jesus I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!" Joker grinned before it fell and her narrowed his eyes. "You know, I know what I'll do… I'll carve a nice question mark," her dragged the blade around his right eye, tracing the socket before finishing it off in a question mark. "Just around her eye. That way, everyone will know who she belongs to, I like that idea… I mean it is good to let everyone know who your property belongs too…"

"You sick-."

"Oh Eddie, don't try and fool me with claims of love and care! We both know what kind of men we are and we both know what that means for your woman," Joker grinned. "She's an object and better yet.. oh you've become so obsessed with her you're almost creating a mania out of her," he smirked before he rolled his eyes. "It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic," he paused a moment thinking. "Oh what the hell, I'll laugh anyway!"

A chorus of laughter echoed around Arkham's walls, chilling all who heard it to the bone with the cruelty and insanity weaving through it as it bounced around the halls and minds of the insane and sane.

"Now… I don't want to disappoint the lady with my little handy work on her face, so I'll practice on you. Ya don't mind do you? No? That's great," Joker span the shiv in his hand and raised it up. "Try not to struggle."

Then suddenly out of no where a hand grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the shiv just as it came down, twisting it awkwardly causing Joker to drop the piece of metal out of pure reaction, before he was grabbed by the collar and slammed harshly into the bars before he was let go and he fell to the floor giggling.

Edward looked stunned and turned to see Jonathan standing next to him glaring at him. "You've outstayed your welcome, Joker. Get out."

"Now, now Spooky," Joker slowly got his feet, grinning at the two of them, blood trickling out of his mouth. "That wasn't very nice."

"Stay away from Mist."

"And why do you care exactly?"

"I don't," Jonathan slowly began to smile, the smile itself becoming twisted and horrid. _"I want to hear her screams of terror! I can't have you compromising my fun!"_ Scarecrow hissed.

Edward went wide eyed. "No! I forbid either of you from so much as touching her!"

" _Oh little riddle lover," Scarecrow cackled as he slipped the needle from his sleeve that he stole from an orderly sometime in the day. "You won't be able to stop us," he quickly pushed the needle into Edward's neck, savouring how the other man's eyes widened, before he slipped to the floor, pupils dilating as he stared off into space._

"I gotta hand it to you Crow," Joker cackled. "You do good work."

" _Thank you," Scarecrow grinned before he narrowed his eyes. "The girl is mine. Let me have my fun and I'll gladly hand her over to you."_

"Oh but where's the fun in that?" Joker moaned. "She could be already broken by the time I get her and how boring would that be for me!"

Scarecrow was silent for a moment.

" _First one to the finish then?"_

Joker grinned. "Now you're talking a language I understand."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Two chapters this time! Enjoy!**


	14. Chapter 14: An attraction so deadly

An attraction so deadly.

* * *

Standing by the docks, the wind blowing by her making her hair and the bag she was holding blow in the wind. Mist couldn't believe she was doing this, how had her life become so mixed up? She'd somehow went from being a law abiding citizen to affiliating with criminals, insane criminals at that.

She turned around to see no one was there, to make sure no one would see her, that's when she heard it, the water moving in a big splash.

Mist turned back to the docks, her eyes widening and slowly traveling up the figure of the woman…? Was she even that anymore? It was hard to tell, but there she stood, staring down at Mist with her arms folded across her chest.

"Penguin told me you need a way into Arkham."

Mist blinked a few times before she shook her head slightly. "Yeah… I need a way in to Arkham without being detected."

"I can get you there," Orca declared before she leaned down and narrowed her eyes at her. "The rest of it, being inside Arkham, navigating your way around, that's on you. Nothing to do with me."

"Harley suggested I take the sewers and then the air vents."

"Smart," Orca agreed before she slowly walked back into the water, turning back to Mist who zipped her coat up and stood at the edge of the peer. "Get on then," Orca gestured to her back and Mist quickly climbed on. "You're gonna need to hold on tight, also… hold your breath."

She really wished she'd had more warning about what was about to happen, Orca was a fast swimmer, especially when she was under water.

At the last few metres, Mist didn't think she could hold her breath or hold on much longer, her grip was becoming weak as they neared the destination and finally Orca rose out of the water.

Mist coughed and spluttered as she climbed into the sewer pipe, it was huge and she winced at the smell, covering her mouth and nose as she coughed.

"It's up to you now," Orca explained. "Good luck and also… watch your step."

Mist glared slightly before she turned on her heel, facing the darkening pipe. "Yeah.. thanks…"

There was splash behind her and that's when she realised she was on her own now, didn't have any way of getting off the island and was stuck in a sewer pipe.

She sucked in a breath before marching forwards, keeping her hands out in front of her, the bag she held firmly in her grasp as she went looking through the darkness for some way of getting out of the damn stink.

Mist didn't know how long she'd been walking in the dark and smell, but then she saw it, light shinning down at her and she grinned, quickly running up to it, only to find a grate blocking her way.

"Oh for the love of…" she ran a hand down her face before she began to kick at the grate with her foot, slamming into it as hard as she could.

Thankfully the grate was old and rusted and came away easily and then she climbed out, stepping out into the lit underground hallways of Arkham's secret passages underneath it's buildings.

As she wondered through, she was surprised to find no guards, then her eyes landed on a iron door and she grinned. "Finally."

She walked up to it and tried the handle, but it was locked causing a frown to fall across her face before she suddenly screamed and backed away in terror as something bagged against the metal door itself.

Mist looked up at the small window and her eyes widened as she found one great big yellow glowing eye staring back at her, it's pupil like that of a lizard… or a crocodiles and it was then Mist knew who this was behind the glass.

Waylon Jones… Killer Croc.

She backed up, her hands tightening around the bag she was holding as she stared at him before he slowly backed away from the glass and slinked off somewhere.

She stood there for a while, expecting him to back but he didn't and then she was back to trying to find an air vent that could lead her to Rat Catcher's cell.

What had Harley told her to do again?

Mist went to step when she heard a squeak and quickly lifted her foot to find a rat who quickly ran away from her and then she saw it, a whole trail of rats, running along the side of the wall and as she turned to look behind her she found more following.

Oh that's what she'd said… follow the rats.

* * *

"I have a dilema."

Jonathan peeked over the top of his book and raised an eyebrow at Edward who was leaning against the bars, tapping his fingers against them lightly as he stared outside.

"And what could that be?"

"Strange knows about Mist and about…" he trailed off biting his lip before turning away to look outside his cell again. "Something else. He's going to hurt her… I can't allow that," then he suddenly turned and narrowed his eyes at Scarecrow. "Like I won't allow you to hurt her either."

Jonathan chuckled darkly at the back of his throat before he looked up at Edward and smirked. "What can you do?"

"What?"

"Tell me, Edward," he gently placed his book down and rose to his feet. "What is it that you could actually do? Compared to me, you're nothing but a weakling, pathetic really."

"Stay away from Mist."

"You and I both know that will not happen… but you have a rather… unhealthy obsession with her don't you?"

"I'm not obsessed."

"Oh please," Jonathan rolled his eyes. "You haven't stopped talking about her since you realised it was her. You claim it to be love but it's not. The only reason you're worried about Strange is because you're like a child and you don't like other people touching what you believe to be yours."

"Oh shut it, Crane!" Edward snapped. "What would you know about love anyway?"

"Only that what you and Mist have is not love. In fact…" Jonathan trailed off. "You're almost creating a mania out of her. How… pathetic. Truly. The lowest you've ever sunk."

"I am not creating a mania out of her!" he snarled back in response, turing on Jonathan so sharply that he almost lost his balance. "She's mine. I claimed her all those years ago, she cannot belong to anyone else!"

"Not creating a mania you say?"

There was a small clatter from the vent above them, causing both men to raise an eyebrow before Jonathan started to chuckle, rising to his feet as he walked under the vent. "I believe that's your lady love now," he said as he flicked the latch that held the vent's casing up. Something Edward had made as a quick escape route and a way to get out of his cell without causing any alarms.

Sure enough, Mist came tumbling out of the vent, landing on the floor of the cell in a heap, rubbing at her head.

Edward blinked as he stared down at her. "My dear mystery if you really wanted to see me so badly you only had to call."

"Oh shut it," Mist growled as she got to her feet, dusting herself off. "How far away am I from Rat Catcher's cell?"

Edward grinned at that. "So you finally figured it out..? Took you longer then I was expecting my love, are you quite right in the head?"

Mist narrowed her eyes at him in response to that before she walked up to him and held up a finger. "Out of the two of us… who's free and who's currently locked up in a mental asylum?"

' _Can't argue the fact that we should be in asylum, Misty,'_ Sphinx chuckled as she leaned up against the far wall, but Mist was doing a good job at ignoring her.

"I'm not insane," Edward snapped. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"You obviously don't hear yourself when you talk sometimes do you?" Crane muttered from behind Mist who jumped back slightly as he stood there starting intently at her.

"Of course I do!" the riddle lover growled. "It's the only time I ever hear someone of actual intelligence speak!"

"And on that note…" Mist reached up and began to climb back into the ventilation system.

"My dear mystery… what do you expect to find?"

"I don't know Edward… but you said Rat Catcher knows something, so I'm going to ask and this time, I have something that might just win him over."

"Mist."

She stopped and looked back at him glaring. "What?"

"Don't go near Joker."

"Not that I was planning on going near the psychotic loon, but why?"

Edward was silent. "Just… don't."

A chuckle got both of their attention and they turned to Scarecrow who was smirking at the both of them.

"You two… you're going to destroy each other," he declared before grinning in the light of the cell. "It's going to be quite fun to watch…. I might not even interfere, I might even let it run of it's own accord."

Neither spoke, before Mist shook her head, muttering something to herself as she pulled herself fully into the air vent and continued on her track through the vent.

She tried to ignore the various cries and shouts of inmates, the various insane mutterings and general self harming individuals who slammed their heads against the wall, trying to get the voices to stop.

She shuddered at the thought, how someone's own mind could betray them like that and turn against them? It was a scary thought.

Mist soon found herself crossing over a guard post, taking extra care to remain as quiet as possible and not make a single sound.

"Did you hear about the new guy?"

"Huh? You mean Andrews?"

Mist paused and looked back at where the guards where stationed.

"Yeah, did you hear about his death?"

"Course I did, stupid kid. Shoulda known better then to stick his nose in business it didn't belong, let alone get involved with those two reporters."

"Yeah but… what Strange is doing-."

"You saw what trying to be a hero did to Jimmy, just leave well enough alone."

The second guard shuffled nervously. "You didn't see him,"

"Who?"

"Fright."

"Lucifer?"

The other nodded. "Strange had him hooked up to.. to a machine… he's preforming experiments on his brain, see what it can or can't do, wires poking in and everything… if the kid wasn't disturbed before, he will be now."

"No way Strange would do that to a child.. I mean, yeah Nightmare's troubled and all but… no he wouldn't!"

"Well he did, and apparently he isn't finished, he's going to move on to all the meta humans, testing them, seeing what they do and as well as experimenting on any of the lower risk levels."

"That… procedure he performs on them… the effects are permanent right?"

"Yeah," the second shuddered. "These people may be crazy… but god help me, they don't deserve what Strange's gonna do to them, no one does… well except maybe Joker."

"I saw Strange outside Joker's cell once."

"He's been there multiple times, all of the Doctors have. It's nothing new, but I think Joker knows they're there."

"You think Joker knows anything? About what's going on here?"

"Are you kidding me? C'mon, I think we can drop the act while no inspectors are here, everyone knows who runs this Asylum and it sure as hell ain't Strange or Sharp or hell, even Cash; it's Joker."

Mist sat frozen in the air vent staring down at the two guards, neither knowing or suspected her presence. Joker. Joker was the key, if there was one person who knew what was really going on here it would be Joker.

But why would Joker tell her? He was insane, loved chaos, was probably enjoying what Strange was doing to the patients here, it wasn't right but nothing was right about the Joker.

Mist swallowed as she began to crawl back through the air vent, she knew she would have to talk to Joker, but Edward told her not to go near him, to stay away.

" _And since when did we listen to Eddie?"_

She rolled her eyes at Sphinx. They both knew the answer to that question, but maybe this time she should listen to him.

She looked down at the vent and saw one of the rats she'd been following round a bend and she quickly followed it, before it dropped through the gap into a cell and she looked down to find Otis sitting in a pile of rats.

He was calm, had no reason to worry, but it was funny to watch him jump when she dropped the bag of cheese into his cell in front of him.

"There. Some damn cheese to feed your rats, it'll last a good month," he looked up at her with wide eyes as Mist glared back at him. "So. About that information."

Otis sighed and shook his head. "Strange has a secret lab in the asylum," he looked back at her. "You can get to it through the vents, but it deep under the asylum, in a secluded part, people don't even think there is something there anymore but there is. It's where he takes patients to experiment on them."

"If you know this why haven't you told anyone?" Mist bit out and Otis laughed, as he began to break a piece of cheese off and feed it to his rats.

"C'mon. I feed rats and talk to them. Who in their right mind would listen to me, which begs the question," he looked up at her and tilted his head to the side. "Why are you listening to me?"

"Sometimes it's the most troubled of minds that see the truth," Mist explained as she narrowed her eyes at him. "But I need one more favour from you."

"Alright," Otis took a bite of the cheese himself. "But what's in it for me?"

"I'll owe you."

He thought about this for a second before smiling. "Alright then. What do you want?"

"Can you direct me to Joker's cell through the air vents?"

Otis almost choked on his cheese. He looked up at her, mouth agape, unruly hair brushed into his eyes as he stared at her. "I thought you said you'd owe me? You go down to Joker you won't come back up and I have no desire to be the one who lead the Riddler's girl to her death."

"I'm not going to jump into the cell with him, I'm just going to sit in the air vents and talk to him. If anyone knows what's going on here, it'll be Joker. He runs the asylum, despite what the heads of this department would have you believe, Joker is king here."

Otis nodded. "Yes…" he agreed before looking back at her. "But there's a reason he's king."

"Otis, I need to talk to him," she narrowed her eyes. "You want this to end don't you? You're smart enough to know that you will be one of Strange's experiments at some point, he's building himself up."

The Rat Catcher was silent as he seemed deep in thought before he sighed and looked up at her. "Alright. But it's your funeral," he nodded to one of his rats and placed it into the air vent. "He'll lead you to Joker and if you're still alive afterwards he'll lead you back here."

Mist nodded. "Thank you."

"You really shouldn't be thanking anyone for leading you to your death."

* * *

"Back off from Mist!"

Jonathan smiled and looked over the top of his book at Edward who stood in front of him glaring down at the man of straw.

"Oh, believe me Edward, I will be doing just that."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe you."

"Well you should," Scarecrow smiled. "I would much rather see how this plays out, this deadly attraction. It really is quite amusing."

Edward shook his head. "Mist hates me," he muttered. "I can fool myself all I want, but she hates me, I can see it in her eyes."

"You obviously don't look hard enough," Jonathan grinned as he rose to his feet and walked towards Edward. "She still loves you. I see it in her eyes. She still holds a torch for you, one she can't get rid of, no matter how hard she try."

The other was silent and stared at him.

"W-what?" Edward choked out, backing up slightly.

Jonathan smiled, his lips curling up in a horrible smile.

"Yes… an attraction so deadly, I really can't wait to see how it plays out, but I wonder which one of you will come out on top and who will be the one who dies first."

"No one's going to die!"

"You really think so?" Scarecrow laughed. "Edward if there is one thing I have realised about that woman, is she doesn't listen to you, ever," he smirked. "Also she should've come back this way by now, but look at that she hasn't."

"What are you saying?"

"You're a smart man Edward, I'm sure you can figure it out," he walked up to him and held a finger up to make a point. "Who's the one person you told her not to go near."

Edward's eyes widened.

"And the penny drops," Scarecrow grinned.

"Joker… Mist, she's gone to Joker!" he turned on his heel and made short work of the lock on his door and quickly slammed it open, running through the corridors as fast as he could.

Jonathan merely laughed after him, before returning to his book and crossing his spider like legs. "Such a deadly attraction indeed."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: I haven't updated in a while I know, but here we go the next chapter! Since we're leading up to the evens of the Arkham Asylum game, I'm going to be including the interview tapes as the starting points for all the chapters from now on :D**


	15. Chapter 15: Surprise Party Planning

Surprise party planning.

* * *

 _Doctor Young: Patient interview 21. Patient's name is Edward Nigma, also known as the Riddler._

 _So, Edward, Warden Sharp tells me you've been leaving threatening riddles scrawled on the asylum wall, again._

 _Riddler: One would have to be severely paranoid to read threats in to harmless riddles, Doctor Young. May I test you with one?_

 _Doctor Young: Very well._

 _Riddler: What is it that walks on four legs, then two legs and finally three legs?_

 _Doctor: A human being. As a baby it crawls on four legs, as an adult it walks on two and in later years it uses a cain._

 _Riddler: Good try, but the answer to all three is a baby. True it crawls on all fours, but cut off its legs and it can hobble around on two limbs. Give it a crutch, it can hobble around three. You see?_

 _Doctor Young: That's horrible. How can you even joke about that?_

 _Riddler: Easily Doctor. It's not my baby._

* * *

Mist leaned against the sides of the air vent. She had managed to get to Joker, she needed to talk to him. But would he tell her what she needed to know or would he kill her?

It's Joker, she scowled to herself, what do you think he's going to do?

This was a stupid idea, the worst idea she'd ever come up with, she may as well just quit and turn away now while she still could.

"You staying up there forever kiddo or are you coming down to talk with dear uncle J?"

Mist paled and leaned over to peer through the air vent and found venom green eyes staring up at her, with a blood red smile to go with it.

"Joker…" Mist whispered as she stared at him.

He smirked. "You were expecting maybe Two Face?"

Deciding to swallow down her fear, Mist gave the clown a harsh look. "What's going on in Arkham, Joker? What's Strange up to?"

Joker began to laugh at the back of his throat and wagged a finger at her. "Ah, ah, ahh. That's not how it works, Misty," she felt a little disturbed that he knew her name but carried on never the less. "You scratch my back and well… actually you know what," he giggled. "I'll tell you this set of answers for free, but only because your presence amuses me. Mostly because it's got old riddles all flustered. The second I no longer find you entertaining well… I'll entertain myself by seeing how far Eddie is pushed over the edge when I deliver him your dead corpse. Sound fun?"

Mist stared with wide eyes and he grinned, nodding at her.

"Okay, glad we got that one cleared up! So, whats your Q and A girly?"

This was probably the most dangerous and stupid thing she'd ever done.

"What's Strange doing?"

"Oh you are interested in the delightful merry maniac that is Hugo Strange," Joker grinned. "He's not doing much… just a few experiments here and there."

"What?!"

"Jeeze… how does Eddie deal with that screech?"

"You can't say much, you're in a relationship with Harley Quinn."

Joker began to laugh, he was almost in hysterics. "Okay, kiddo, you got me there. You've got some real spunk to you… you just might make it out of this place alive…" he began to giggle before looking up at her. "But you really should be focussing on Doc Young."

"Doctor Young? Why?"

"You think Strange is the only person doing experiments here? Oh no, there's tons of them… never mind the fact that Strange has the Warden wrapped around his pinky… good work though I'll have to admit, the way he's driving old Sharpie over the edge."

"Strange is driving Sharp insane… no wonder he's got control of him."

"Ya know…" Joker mused, tapping his chin, "Come to think of it, I think I've seen old Hugo around, why yes! Hanging outside your boyfriend's cell."

"What?!"

Joker looked up at her and grinned. "Oh maybe I should've mentioned that sooner. I think old Hugo's thinking of eliminating the competition. Oh don't worry, I don't think Hugo's going to kill old Eddie with an overdose or something so… quick and boring as that, no I think he's planning on calving him up, maybe even dissecting that big brain of his… oh, oh! I know what he'll do, he'll probably preform a lobotomy, hell, he might even add Eddie to list of people he wants brought down to his little torture chamber, hidden near the old pump house on the island. One never knows with these people, I think they're insane ya know, not to be trusted."

She felt herself panic, Strange wouldn't… he couldn't… "He won't. Strange isn't stupid, he won't do anything to a patient so high and noticeable."

"You think he cares about that? Ha! Oh, Misty, Misty, Misty… you really need to update your knowledge on the psychos, the bigger the better. There's no prize for second place around here."

She was silent for a moment. "What about Doctor Young?"

"Ohhh I think I've told you enough of my little secrets… and this conversation is boring me… I suggest you run along before I get too bored, don't want to ruin this game before it's even started."

Mist shuddered at the thought and soon found herself backing away and crawling through the vents again, little did she know, Edward was running towards Joker's cell and he made, but she was gone.

"Joker!"

"Eddie!"

"Where is she, you better not have-."

"Oh don't you worry," Joker grinned. "Your little mystery left just before you got here, she's fine by the way. Not a scratch on her… well not now anyway, but things change."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "Stay away from her. She's mine."

At this Joker smirked as he walked up to his cell. Honestly Arkham was a little worse for wheres, they should really update their security system, to stop little chats like this from happening.

"Tell you what Eddie, I'll cut you a deal."

"I'm listening," Edward growled, if not a little begrudgingly. Making deals with Joker was sometimes the single most stupid thing you could do because he constantly didn't go through with them. Oh sure, you'd do your side of the deal, but him? He'd do it only if he felt like it.

This was a gamble, but if it protected what was his, he was willing to go for it.

"I'll leave you lovely piece of property alone," Joker trailed off with a grin. "If and only if you give Harley the access codes to the asylum."

"Why?"

"Now, now. That's not part of the deal, is it?"

He gritted his teeth and calmed down before giving in. "Fine," he spat. "I'll give Harley the codes tomorrow, and you'll leave Mist alone?"

Joker stood to attention, placing a hand behind his back as he used his fingers to draw a cross over his heart with his other hand. "Cross my heart hope to die, stick a needle in Batman's eye."

Edward rolled his eyes before turning on his heel, leaving Joker giggling as the clown still stood with his hand behind his back and his fingers crossed.

* * *

 _Doctor: Taped patient interview. Subject has no recorded name, alias listed as The Joker. In the room is Warden Sharp and myself, Doctor Young._

 _Joker: Is this another one of those boring psych evaluation tests?_

 _Doctor: No, it's not. So, you're the famous Joker._

 _Joker: In the flesh. So, Doc, do you want me to look at the ink blots again? The first one is the kitten I had when I was a child. The second is, hmmm, lets see…. a dead elephant. The third is a…._

 _Doctor: Very funny. Now lets skip the jokes._

 _Joker: Skip the jokes? Hey Sharpie, didn't she get my permanent record?_

 _Warden: Be quiet clown!_

 _Doctor: Every doctor that has ever interviewed you claims a different type of psychosis. Everything from multiple personality disorders to, well… The list is endless._

 _Joker: I do my best._

 _Doctor: Well, I don't believe it. Anything can be cured given the correct treatment._

 _Joker: And… you think… you can cure me?_

 _Doctor: Oh, I know I can._

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Here we go, the next chapter :D Hope you guys enjoy this and enjoyed old Joker, I find him hard to write sometimes so I went back to playing Arkham Asylum to help me get along :D  
Enjoy! **


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